Not Over Yet
by Emilee Amethyst
Summary: Sequel to "Back to Me". We got to Radley and I ran around to the fire escape. In the car I realized why Jenna had taken Toby to Radley. A lot of tragedies occurred in Rosewood and the biggest were the fire, Alison's death, and the suicide of Marion Cavanaugh.I got up to the roof and my theory was confirmed.
1. Chapter 1

Here it is everybody! The sequel to my story "Back to Me". If you haven't read that I suggest you do. You don't exactly have to but some things will make a lot more sense. For those that have read it, I hope you like this as much as the first one. And FYI this jumps 4 1/2 years after B2M ended. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars.

* * *

It was New Year's Eve and Toby and I were sitting in the loft. It was his idea to stay in this year and I set up a romantic, candlelight dinner.

"Cheers, to my beautiful fiancé." Toby toasted with his glass of champagne.

"And cheers to my _handsome_ and wonderful fiancé. You've stuck with me through a lot and hopefully you'll stick with me during this last semester of college." I said and then we both laughed a little and sipped our champagne.

"Don't worry, Spence. I'll be here for you. We've been dating for five years and we've been best friends for seven. I've been around you when you get crazy with studying and I know how to handle it. I won't run away." He assured me and then jokingly added. "We're not Mike and Mona."

His last comment sent me laughing. A year and a half ago it wouldn't have been funny but now it was. Hanna and Mona had gone to college for two years and then opened up a clothing store together called Pretty Little Outfits. So Mike was finishing his last year of high school while Mona was finishing her last year of college. It was pretty stressful for both of them and trying to have regular date nights and a small social life didn't help. And things finally blew up for them on the night of Mike's senior prom.

All the preparations, like buying the tickets, getting a dress, and everything else, were done. But they never even made it. Mrs. Montgomery wanted lots of pictures so Mona met Mike at his house and then he would drive to the school. Nobody knows, not even Mike and Mona, what started the fight. But according to Aria, there was a lot of screaming, Mona stormed out, and poor Mike was left with a broken nose.

"No, we're not." I shook my head. "But I'm glad they got back together that Thanksgiving. Mona was pretty miserable that summer without him."

"Speaking of Mike, Mona, and the others, doesn't feel weird not being with them this year?" He asked.

"Yeah, it does a little." I nodded. "But I sort of like it just being you and me."

In previous years we celebrated New Year's Eve with the others. And one year we all went to New York together. But this year Aria, Ezra, and their daughter Brooklyn Juliet went to visit his family. Emily and Maya couldn't make it back from Connecticut. Plus, Hanna wasn't drinking so she didn't see the point of having a party. So Toby and I decided to have a quiet night in together.

"I do too. You start classes next week. After that I'll have to force you to take a break from studying if we want a date night." He said both joking and serious.

"Very funny, Toby, I'll remember that when you're busy with a project and I can't get you away from the blueprints." I shot back sarcastically.

"Touché," He laughed.

* * *

 _"Alright, everyone!" Hanna yelled to get our attention. "It's game time."_

 _Toby and I went over and took a seat at the dining room table and everyone else slowly made their way over. This year we were celebrating New Year's Eve at the lake house and everyone was kind of doing their own thing._

 _"Hanna, nobody wants to play a game." Caleb sighed._

 _"Caleb Rivers, we are playing whether you like it or not. Because if you don't, you won't get a kiss at midnight and you won't be getting any until the wedding." She threatened._

 _"Hanna! The wedding isn't until June!"_

 _"Dude, just play the game." Ezra told him._

 _"Alright fine," Caleb gave in. "What're we playing, honey?"_

 _Mona was sitting to my left and we both laughed quietly at the emphasis that Caleb put into calling Hanna 'honey'. After four years of dating, Caleb definitely knew it was best to stay on Hanna's good side. And to do whatever you have to, to get back on it._

 _"Well, baby," Hanna stated with equal emphasis. "I heard about this little game from a customer. You get a piece of paper, write down your New Year's resolution, and put the paper in a jar. Then someone randomly grabs one of them, reads it out loud, and has to guess who wrote it. Everybody understand?"_

 _We all nodded our heads and began writing down what our resolution would be. Everybody was finished within five minutes. And Caleb was the lucky one that got to go first._

 _"Okay, let's see…My resolution is to not freak out when my wife goes into labor." He read and he was laughing by the end of it. "Hmm, that couldn't be Ezra's? Could it?"_

 _"Hey, just you guys wait until your girl tells you she's pregnant and going into labor." Ezra stated._

 _"Alright, Daddy-to-be, you go next." Hanna said as she passed him the jar._

 _Ezra read the paper and correctly guessed that it was Maya's. She had written down that she would get a steady job this year. Usually she could get good seasonal jobs during the summer but didn't get so lucky during the school year. Like one time she was a waitress but the restaurant was shut down the health department._

 _"This one says; to do everything the best that I can for my baby." Maya read. "That is very sweet, Aria. And you'll be a great mommy."_

 _"I hope so. Ezra and I can't wait for her to get here." Aria said rubbing a hand over her belly. "Okay, to expand my business. Tough one, that could be either Hanna or Mona since you both have the store. But I'm gonna say Mona, it was written too formally to be Hanna."_

 _"Sorry, Aria, but that was mine." Toby spoke up._

 _Earlier this year Toby had started his own furniture business. He did anything from tables and chairs to curio cabinets and bookcases. He also did furniture repair. Things were slow at first but they had started picking up lately, especially when it got close to Christmas. And he was hoping to start doing swing sets and other stuff for backyards. He was making a living from something that he loved and I was so happy and proud of him._

 _"Oh my goodness, this baby is making me lose my mind! I completely forgot about your furniture business." Aria sighed._

 _"Don't worry, Aria, I thought it was Mona's too since we have been thinking of carrying maternity clothes. Toby probably wrote that on purpose to confuse everyone." Hanna reassured her._

 _"Thanks, Han. But I still say that April 17th, can't come fast enough." Aria told her as she passed Toby the jar._

 _"This says, stay in touch with my friends despite the distance." Toby read. "Well, Emily, I think I speak for all of us when I say that this is one resolution that better be kept."_

 _"Yeah or else I'll drive up to that fancy science school in Connecticut and drag you back to hang out with us." Hanna stated._

 _Emily was going to college in Pennsylvania for marine science. After an accident during our senior year of high school she couldn't swim anymore. So she decided that even though she couldn't swim she still wanted a job where she could be around water and underwater animals. Then this summer she got a job at an aquarium in Connecticut and transferred to a school up there. Maya transferred up there as well and obviously still hadn't gotten the job part._

 _"I'll do my best. And I know you'll keep me in check." Emily laughed and then cleared her throat. "My resolution is to not screw up my relationship by getting caught up in classes like I did last year."_

 _"I think we all know it's either Mike or Mona." Caleb commented._

 _"I'm gonna say Mike because he's still in school and Mona isn't." Emily told us._

 _"Nice guess, Sherlock." Mike said giving Emily a high-five. "So this says, 'I want to keep my weight balanced so I can fit into my wedding dress.' Oh that is definitely Hanna."_

 _"Hanna, do not worry about fitting into your dress. I know planning a wedding is stressful, but don't stress out about that. You've come a long way from the girl Alison called Hefty Hanna." Aria returned the favor and comforted her._

 _"Thanks, Aria," Hanna smiled. "Alright, learn to not be scary to anyone under fifty. And that would be Spencer's without a doubt."_

 _Usually I didn't care that I was way smarter than a lot of people. And I even enjoyed showing off my intelligence. But after college I wanted to work with blind kids. A lot of people had helped me during that first year after the fire and I wanted to do the same for others. But I couldn't be much of a help if I scared people off. So I figured I should start working on that now._

 _"And that would be a correct guess without a doubt." I joked. "I want to make sure that I'm married to my future wife and not married to my job or classes. That could potentially be anyone except for Ezra. But since Caleb is engaged, I'm gonna say it's his."_

 _"That better be yours, Caleb Rivers!" Hanna stated and pointed her finger at him._

 _"Yes, Hanna, it's mine." Caleb nodded._

 _"You are a very smart man, Caleb." Ezra told him._

 _"Alright, Caleb, there's one paper left and it's your turn again." Hanna said as she passed him the jar._

 _"But we all know its Mona's." Caleb pointed out._

 _"But we don't know what she wrote." Hanna shot back. "Mona, you read yours."_

 _"I wrote to enjoy success." Mona started. "Since I was I kid I've been determined to succeed. But thanks to Ali, I couldn't enjoy winning that much because I had to move on to the next thing to be good at. I felt the need to be above and beyond in everything. Even now I feel that way sometimes. The store is successful, I like my job, and I want to enjoy it instead of feeling like I constantly have to be bigger and better than everyone else."_

 _"I know what you mean; I've always tried to be like Melissa. But Toby helped me realize that I didn't need to try so hard." I told her, letting her know she wasn't the only one. "It's a good thing you want to put it behind you. It's tough, because old habits die hard, but totally worth it. You and Hanna both deserve to enjoy the success of your store."_

 _"We do, and so do the rest of you guys. We went through a lot of crap in high school, but we made senior year the best, just like we said we would. We try and make every year the best, and now it's time for us to enjoy how far we've come." Hanna stated with a content smile._

 _"I'll toast to that." Caleb said and tapped his glass against Hanna's._

 _The rest of us followed suit and talked about how far we've come since Alison was in charge and Jenna went to jail. But we stopped a few minutes before midnight and turned on the TV. We started counting down and watched the ball drop. Toby kissed me and out of the corner of my eye I saw everyone else was doing the same, even Hanna and Caleb._

* * *

I woke up the next morning to the smell of coffee. Usually I woke up first, but every now and then Toby would get up before me and I was greeted with coffee. And I really enjoyed it. But this morning I got another surprise.

"Good morning," Toby smiled as he came into the bedroom carrying a tray of food.

"And good morning to you too, Tobes. What's all this?"

"I want make sure I start this New Year off right. So this is breakfast in bed."

"This is really sweet of you, and I appreciate it. But I think you did a fine job of starting this year right last night." I smiled suggestively.

"I enjoyed last night too." He said and kissed me. "But I'd rather go overboard than under do it."

"I love you."

"I love you too." He replied and leaned in for another kiss.

"So, it's the first day of the year. What do you want to do?" He asked when I had finished the breakfast my fiancé had cooked for me.

"I want to spend it entirely with you." I told him before kissing him.

"I think that can be arranged." He laughed and then resumed kissing me

* * *

I hope you guys liked it. Before you even ask, yes you will see a flashback of Spoby's engagement! And maybe even a wedding ;) This chapter was to show a little bit of what went on the past few years. Next chapter has a little more of that and also starts the main plot of the story. So if I get 5 or 6 reviews I'll update early next week. And did I mention Jason visits next chapter? ;)


	2. Chapter 2

Before you start reading I have something to say. I wrote this two weeks before the finale. I had no idea that Charles would turn out to be Cece. But I didn't feel like changing anything because there is no A, Ali was killed by Jenna, and there is no Charles to become Charlotte/Cece. Plus you don't really see her character, she's mostly just mentioned. Anyway I hope you don't hate this now. Let me know if you want me to change things.

* * *

Two weeks later, I was back to school and things were pretty much as Toby predicted. But since we were living together in the loft we still got to spend time with each other. We weren't eating at restaurants and going to movies every night, but it was better than not spending any time together. And tonight started off like all the others until Jason stopped by.

"Hey, Jason, what brings you here?" I asked when he came in.

He still had a key from when he lived here for a few months so he always let himself in. Toby and I enjoyed having him drop by, but it wasn't always…convenient.

"I'm bored and I figured I'd pay my favorite little sister a visit." He said making himself at home next to me on the couch.

"Let me guess, Cece out of town again?"

"Yep, she's in DC until next Monday." He nodded. "And Melissa is watching the kid."

"Wow, you're a free man for a couple of days. I bet you're enjoying that." I commented as I got up to make us coffee.

"I am, but I miss 'em too."

"Yeah, I get that. Little Jay is cool kid. And you know how I like talking to Cece and getting details about the two of you." I laughed.

"Speaking of me and Cece, I want to take her out to dinner when she gets back. Would you and Toby watch Jay for us?" He asked.

"I'd be happy too. I don't get nearly enough time with my favorite nephew." I told him.

"He's your only nephew, Spence. Melissa only has Taylor and I think that's enough for her right now. I think like mother, like daughter is an understatement."

"Taylor is a bit of handful." I laughed. "But she's not nearly as bad as Melissa used to be. And if she does have another kid, I hope it's a boy. I wouldn't want a repeat of the way we were if she had two daughters."

"I wasn't around that much back then, but things between you two did seem pretty intense. I'm glad that's over though." He commented.

"Me too." I nodded.

"Spence, I'm home." Toby said as he walked through the door. "Jason, long time no see."

"Yeah, who would've thought we'd bump into each other at the flower shop." Jason laughed.

"You guys were at the flower shop today?" I asked curiously.

"Cece's favorite flowers aren't in season right now so I wanted to make sure they flower shop had them." Jason answered.

"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day when you knew a girl's favorite flower or paid enough attention to know when it was in season. I'm impressed, Jason." I couldn't help but tease him.

"When you're with someone like Cece, you learn that stuff fast."

"And what were you doing in the flower shop today?" I turned and asked Toby.

"Mike told me he was meeting Mona for lunch. He said he wanted to get her flowers but didn't have time so I got some for him." He explained.

"That kid is making us look bad. He needs to tone it down before our girls start expecting that kind of stuff from us." Jason shook his head.

"Speaking of Mike putting you guys to shame and girls expecting this stuff…" I hinted.

"Yes, I got something for you too." Toby smiled and gave me a small, but very beautiful, bouquet of flowers.

"Thank you," I smiled and kissed him.

"See, this is exactly what I'm talking about." Jason stated. "Hanna's gonna hear from Mona that Mike brought flowers to lunch. So Hanna will start nagging Caleb to be more like that. Caleb will give in and then Aria will feel left out because even Spencer got flowers. And she'll start an argument with Ezra. Ezra will be unhappy and he'll vent to me because I'm more his age. There's a balance to this romance thing in a group like ours."

"Wow, Jason, you are really overthinking this." I shook my head as I placed the flowers in a vase and put them on the table. "Besides, aren't you gonna get Cece flowers?"

"I am, but there's a reason. She's been gone and I want her to know that I'm happy she's back. What reason does Mike have?"

"Jason, he just got engaged two weeks ago. He's gonna be overly romantic for the next month." Toby laughed.

* * *

 _"Spencer, come on in, I have so much to tell you. And we're gonna video chat Emily and Maya so I can tell them too." Mona said excitedly as she led me to her room where Aria and Hanna were waiting._

 _I said hi to them and sat down next to Mona's bookcase. Mona got out her laptop and worked on getting a hold of Emily._

 _"Hey girls!" Emily waved when she came on._

 _"Hey, Em!" We all replied back._

 _"Where's Maya?" Mona asked her._

 _"I'm here!" We heard Maya's voice in the background._

 _"She's in the middle of cooking something and she has to keep an eye on it or it'll burn." Emily explained._

 _"Well, I hope she can hear us because I'm getting impatient. This is the longest Mona has ever kept something from me." Hanna stated._

 _"Okay, I'll tell you." Mona sighed but I could tell she was ready to burst. "So, since we didn't have a New Year's party this year, Mike took me to a movie theatre that plays old black and white movies in French. After the movie he drove me to my mom's house and we got there a few minutes before midnight. He walked me to the door and on the porch he got down on one knee."_

 _"He proposed? Oh my soul! Please tell me he proposed and he wasn't just tying his shoes!" Hanna yelled._

 _"Yes, he proposed, Hanna. And I said yes." Mona smiled and she looked happier than I had ever seen her._

 _"Really? Congratulations!" Emily and Maya told her._

 _"My best friend is getting married!" Hanna clapped and then tackled Mona in a hug._

 _"Well congratulations, Mona. I hope you and Mike will be happy." I said after Mona recovered from Hanna's hug._

 _"Wait a minute, you're engaged to Mike. Aria Montgomery Fitz, did you know about this? And, Mona Vanderwaal, why didn't you tell us sooner? You've been engaged a whole two days?" Hanna interrogated._

 _"I knew Mike was planning to propose, but I didn't know he was going to do it on New Year's Eve. But I found out that he did when he called me the next day. He was so excited. It reminded me of when they got back together last Thanksgiving." Aria told us._

 _"And I waited to tell you guys because I wanted to tell you all together. So blame Aria for not getting back in town until this morning." Mona said jokingly._

 _"But she already knew." Hanna argued._

 _"She did, but it wouldn't have been the same. We're a group of awesome friends and we do everything together." Mona told her._

 _"Yeah, you're right." She sighed but I knew she was glad all of us were here._

 _"Hey, you're engaged but where's the ring?" I couldn't help but ask when I noticed her bare left hand._

 _"Oh, it didn't fit." Mona laughed a little. "Mike's getting in resized and I should have it by tomorrow or Monday."_

 _"Well then, we'll have to do something Monday to celebrate. Usually I'd say go to a bar or something but that's out." Hanna suggested._

 _"There's plenty of ways to celebrate that don't involve getting drunk, Hanna." I laughed._

 _"Hey, that reminds me. How are you doing, Han?" Emily asked._

 _"We're both good. The second trimester is a lot better than the first. I can't wait until I feel the first kick." Hanna smiled and rubbed her belly._

 _She was four months pregnant and just starting to show. And surprisingly, she and Caleb had chosen not to find out the gender until the baby was born. Hanna wanted to buy for both genders so that way they'd already have clothes for their second kid. It was a good idea, and it also meant more shopping of course._

 _"Any name ideas yet?" Aria asked her._

 _"Not yet." Hanna shook her head._

 _"Well, I'm happy for you and Caleb. And, Mona, I'm happy for you and Mike too." Emily said. "I wish I could keep talking to you, but I've gotta go. I need to leave for work in twenty minutes."_

 _"Okay, we'll see you later, Em. And thanks." Mona said to her._

 _"Bye, Em, later, Maya." We all said and waved goodbye._

* * *

On Monday afternoon Jason came over Little Jay. Jay was two almost three and I had fun watching him. Feeding him was a challenge but I didn't mind too much. I was upstairs changing his diaper, which was more of a challenge then feeding him, when I heard a noise downstairs that made me jump.

"Toby, is that you?" I called out.

"Yeah, Spence, it's me." He replied

"You're late. Is everything okay?" I asked him as I came downstairs while watching Jay climb down.

"I'm sorry. I had a busy day." He said distractedly. "How was yours?"

"My day was good. I didn't get too many assignments and I'm already getting ahead. And Little Jay has been a good boy for me today." I told him as I sat down and handed Jay some toys to play with. "Are you sure everything's okay?"

"Yeah, everything's great, just busy." He tried to convince me. "I'm going to go take a shower and then I'll help with the little guy."

While Toby was in the shower I sat down and read Jay a book. He could name a few animals and most of the colors. And he was really happy when Toby came back and built him something out of blocks. A few minutes later I got a phone call from Hanna.

"Hey, Han, how are you?" I said when I answered.

"Okay, I guess. I mean I was but now…I'm not so sure. I'm worried and I…" She started rambling.

"Whoa, Hanna, slow down. Are you and the baby alright?" I asked in concern.

"Yeah, we're fine, don't worry about us." She assured me. "Have you and Toby seen the news?"

"I don't know about Toby, he just got home a little bit ago. But I've been too busy watching Jay to check the news or anything." I told her.

"Crap, I really don't want to be the one to tell you. But you really should know. Garrett is being released."

"What? How? That's not possible!" I said starting to panic.

"His mother is in the hospital. She's really sick. He's allowed out for a couple of days to see her. He's supposed to be guarded twenty-four-seven by two officers. But I still don't trust the cops in this town. Especially that really good looking one named Holbrook." She told me.

"Me neither, but thanks for telling me and I'll tell Toby if he doesn't already know. Do the other girls know?"

"Aria knows and I was going to call Emily next. Do you think someone should tell Melissa? After all, Garrett was the one to…you know." She said hesitantly.

"Jason and Cece should be over in an hour and a half to pick up Little Jay. I'll tell them and then Jason and I can tell her tomorrow." I sighed not looking forward to it. "When are they letting him out?"

"The news reporter said Wednesday morning. How long he stays out depends on his mom's condition."

"Would it be unrealistic for all of us to leave town and pay Emily and Maya a visit?" I asked rhetorically.

"Usually I'd say let's do it. But I think we're gonna have to stay here. We just have to make sure we lock our doors and don't go anywhere near the hospital. And never go anywhere alone, safety in numbers." She advised. "Hey, Caleb, just got back with take out. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Stay safe, Spence."

"I will and you too, bye."

* * *

So Jason and Cece aren't married but they do have a kid and they live together. But obviously Cece is out of town a lot. If you feel like that's too weird let me know and I'll re-write a little. Anyway I hope you still liked it. Next chapter will have a lot of Spoby fluff and funny Hanna. I'll try to update this weekend depending on the reviews.


	3. Chapter 3

I talked to Jason like I said I would and the next day we told Melissa together. She was angry at first and wanted to kill Garrett herself. But then she was afraid. She said she didn't want to be in the same town as him so she took Taylor and left for England to stay with a friend. Personally, I thought that was overboard but I didn't tell her that.

Now it was Saturday afternoon and I was stuck alone in the loft. Toby was at the furniture shop, Hanna and Mona were at their store, and Aria was too afraid to leave her house. It had been three days since Garrett was released and we were all paranoid.

Usually I didn't mind being alone in the loft, it gave me an opportunity to work on my assignments. But I had finished everything and now I was worrying like crazy. What if Hanna went into labor prematurely and was in the same building as Garrett? What if Garrett escaped and came after me and the girls? What if he found a way to contact Jenna and she told him to go after Toby?

Luckily it started snowing and Toby came home early so I didn't have to worry about him.

"Hey, Tobes, I'm so glad you're home." I ran over to him and gave him a hug.

"Yeah, I'm glad I got home before the snow got too bad." He told me as we walked over to the kitchen. I had dinner in the oven so it was warmer there. "Hey are you alright?"

"Fine," I shrugged but I could tell he wasn't buying it. "Okay, I'm glad you're home because my nerves were getting the best of me. I finished my assignments, I cleaned, I found a new recipe online, and I put it in the oven. I couldn't think of anything else to do so I started worrying."

"What were you worried about?"

"Garrett escapes, he goes after you and the girls, or breaks Jenna out of jail." I sighed.

"Nothing is gonna happen to anybody, Spencer. Garrett is heavily guarded and word is that his mom will be released next week. I promise that in a couple more days everything will be back to normal." He assured me.

"I know. I just can't help imagining the worst."

"Next time you're alone and you start to worry, call someone. You can always call me anytime. You have your friends. And you call Jason as a last resort." He told me and I had to laugh at the last comment.

"I love you." I told him while still laughing a little. "You always make me feel better."

"I could say the same about you."

"Then why don't you?" I teased.

* * *

 _"Toby, everything's gonna be fine. Don't stress out so much." I tried to calm him._

 _I was in my second year of college and Toby decided he wanted to go back to school. His plan was to go to carpentry school. I thought he was already an amazing carpenter; after all he did make me a rocking chair three years ago. But he wanted to start a furniture business and felt like he needed more experience than what he taught himself._

 _Now he was finished carpentry school and was working on getting the business going. But he was finding out that it was harder than he thought._

 _"Spencer, this is way over my head. I don't know what I was thinking." He shook his head._

 _"You can do this. It might take a while to sort everything out but you'll get there." I encouraged him. "You have this loft don't you? It wasn't easy getting to this point. But you got here and it was worth all the struggles. Wasn't it?"_

 _"It was." He nodded. "But starting a business from scratch, it costs a lot more than renting a loft above a coffee shop. And I got lucky that Ezra let me live rent free for the first year for all the help I did fixing this place up."_

 _"You never know, you might get lucky again." I shrugged._

 _"Aren't you the one that said 'Everyone's luck has to change for the better some time? At some point you have to get dealt at least one good hand?'" He asked. "Well, I've had my good hand. Several actually, and you can only get so many."_

 _"Toby Cavanaugh, you cannot do that!" I yelled at him._

 _"Do what?"_

 _"Twist my words around like that!" I answered throwing my hand in the air. "When I said that, I was trying to make you look on the bright side, like I am now. But you're not looking at the glass like its half empty; you're looking at it like it is empty, Toby."_

 _"I'm not looking at it like that." He argued. "I'm happy and grateful for what I have. But I can't have the good hand all the time."_

 _"In your opinion, what have you gotten as a good hand?" I asked him_

 _"You." He replied. It was a simple answer but I knew it was sincere. "Meeting you, having you as a friend, coming back to you, and I could go on for the next hour."_

 _"See, you don't need to hope for another good hand."_

 _"Why? Hope breeds eternal misery?" He interrupted._

 _"Well yeah," I laughed. "And because you'll always have me and I can help you. I understand business; I've been helping Hanna and Mona get theirs started. And if you need money…"_

 _"Spencer, do not even go there." He stated shaking his head._

 _"That's not what I'm saying. I know you would never go for that." I shook my head. "But there are other ways to make and get money. How do you think Jason has money?"_

 _"He has a job. And his grandmother probably left him some money in her will." He shrugged._

 _"He gets a fairly decent salary since he took over for his mom. But Grandma D didn't leave him much. Most of it went to charities and into a college fund for Jay." I told him._

 _"Okay so how does he have money? I know he's not letting Cece make all the money with her fashion shows."_

 _"He invests it. Just like I could take some extra money I have lying around and invest it into your business. You take the money, you get your store going, and I get a small percentage of the profits. I'd say it's a fair business move and my mom can make things legal and official. And you could probably get Ezra and Caleb on board too. They both know good business propositions when they see them."_

 _"You are the smartest and most amazing person I have ever met." He said totally stunned._

 _"And that surprises you because…?" I trailed off and we both started laughing._

 _"I don't…I don't know why it does." He shook his head. "You always know how to make me feel better. I love you so much."_

* * *

"Do you have any ice cream?" Hanna asked me later that night.

With a baby on the way, Caleb was working and going to college. This meant he had to do a lot of his college assignments at the last minute. So instead of spending Saturday night with his wife, he was surrounded by papers and textbooks. Hanna got bored so she came over to hang out with Toby and me.

"Hanna, five minutes ago you were complaining that it was too cold in here. Why do you suddenly want ice cream?" I asked.

"It's the baby, Spencer. And you would understand without having to ask if you were pregnant or already had a kid. I should have gone to Aria's." Hanna pouted.

"That wouldn't have been any better, Han." Toby told her.

"And why is that, Mr. Know-it-all?" She demanded.

"Mike and Mona are babysitting Brooklyn all weekend. I don't think you would have wanted to walk in on that."

"And Aria would probably kill you if you did. Alone time like that probably doesn't happen often." I added.

"Alright, you convinced me. I take back what I said." She sighed and gave in.

"You take back going to Aria's or wanting ice cream?" I asked knowing full well what she meant.

"Well duh, going to Aria's. I still want that ice cream."

"Sorry, Hanna, but we don't have any." Toby shook his head and took a cautious step back.

"What!? How could you not have any?" Hanna yelled.

"Um, because it's the middle of winter, it's snowing, and it's been below forty for the past several weeks." I told her.

"Wait is it still snowing?" Toby asked.

"Yeah, I heard it won't stop until one in the morning." I nodded.

"Then let's make our own ice cream out of snow." He suggested and we both looked at him like he was crazy. "What you never made it when you were kids?"

"Does catching snowflakes on your tongue count?" Hanna asked.

"No," He shook his head chuckled. "What you do is: fill a mixing bowl with eight cups of snow, add a can of sweetened condensed milk, and mix it all together. And just make sure the snow doesn't have any dirt in it and isn't yellow."

"It sounds easy enough. Let's try it." I nodded.

"But it's so warm in here. I want ice cream but I don't want to freeze to death." Hanna complained.

"You can stay in here, Hanna. I'll go since I don't mind freezing a little." Toby shrugged. "What about you, Spence?"

"Part of me thinks you're crazy and that I should stay warm with Hanna. But I still want to try. Let me grab a mixing bowl." I told him.

Five minutes later we were out in the Brew parking lot gathering snow. Since it was falling pretty hard we were able to catch some before it even hit the ground. And of course we had a little snowball fight.

"This is fun. Why haven't you suggested it before?" I asked him. "We are in Pennsylvania after all and it snows all the time."

"Honestly, I haven't thought about it in years. The last time I did this was with my mom while my dad was away on business." He told me.

"Are you okay with doing this?"

"Yeah, I'm having fun." He nodded in assurance. "And I'm glad I get to share this with you. I know she'd be happy for us."

"And I know she'd be proud of you." I told him and he looked down and sighed. "Come on, I think we have enough snow to satisfy Hanna's ice cream craving."

Together we walked back into the loft. I could tell by looking at Toby that was deep in thought, probably remembering the last time he did this with his mom. Hanna had already gotten the can of milk and the two of them mixed it with the snow. While they were doing that I turned up the heat a little and then walked over to the keyboard.

I took piano lessons as a little kid and would do duets with Melissa. But we stopped getting along and I gave it up when I got into high school. But a few years ago I started playing again and Toby loved it. He couldn't fit a piano into the loft but he found a nice keyboard and put it by his desk.

Sometimes I would play for him just for the heck of it, and other times if I knew he was stressed. I think one of the reasons he enjoyed it was because his mom used to play. So sometimes when he missed her a lot, I'd play songs that he remembered her playing. And that's what I did now.

When I finished the song "Any Time" I looked over at them.

"Spencer, you have to try this it's really good. Toby's mom was a genius." Hanna told me. "And that song sounded good too. But next time could you play something from this decade?"

"I'll see what I can do." I told her as I got up and went to get some of the ice cream.

I saw Toby smiling and I knew he wasn't sad about his mom anymore. He was probably still thinking about her, but now he felt like she was here with him. And that's all that mattered. Not whether the song was something from 2010 or 1920. But that Toby was back to his normal, cheerful, optimistic self.

* * *

So did you all enjoy the fluff in this chapter? And will Garrett cause any trouble? I hope you liked the little part about Toby's mom. She'll be mentioned a lot in this story. I haven't decided yet but she may even be seen in a flashback. So give me your thoughts on that. BTW, if you loved Hanna there will be more next chapter as well as some fun/sweet reminiscing.


	4. Chapter 4

Toby said things would be back to normal in a few days. But Garrett's mom didn't get released from the hospital as expected. She passed away. And Garrett's lawyer had it arranged that he could attend the funeral. Before he was only at the hospital and the police station, but now he would be all over town on that day.

So the girls and I spent the weekend hiding out at the lake house. I think we all envied the fact that Emily and Maya were over two hundred miles away. We had been planning to have a girl's get away weekend but I was not expecting it to be under these circumstances. But we still managed to have fun.

"I wish Caleb was here!" Hanna pouted as she searched for food.

"You'll see him tomorrow night, Han." Aria comforted her while she played with Brooklyn on the floor.

"I know but that's not what I mean. I mean I want him here with us, with me." She stated.

"Hanna, if you want to recreate Labor Day weekend you can forget it." I told her.

* * *

 _"Alright everybody shut up!" Hanna yelled to get our attention. "Caleb, get up over here!"_

 _Maya and Emily had a four day weekend so Emily took off work and they drove back to Rosewood. We were all happy to see them and Hanna threw one of her famous parties._

 _"What now, Hanna?" Mike mumbled._

 _"Caleb and I have an announcement to make." She stated and then looked at Caleb. "Should you tell them or should I?"_

 _"You go ahead. I know you're dying to." He told her._

 _"Thanks, babe," She smiled and kissed him. "Alright people, I have three words for you. I am pregnant!"_

 _"Are you serious?" Aria asked her._

 _"Yeah," Hanna nodded and she had one of the biggest smiles I had ever seen._

 _"Well, congratulations!" Us girls shouted and surrounded her with a group hug while the guys patted Caleb on the back._

 _"How long have you known?" "How fair along are you?" "Do your parents know?" "Do you want a boy or a girl?" "When's your due date?" We all asked at once._

 _"Whoa, I didn't understand like half of that." She laughed. "I've known a couple days but I wanted to wait for Em and Maya. Caleb's family knows and so do my mom and Pastor Ted. The other questions I didn't hear."_

 _"When's your due date?" Maya asked her._

 _"Early June," She told us._

 _"And it's mid-October so you're about a month and a half along?" Aria guessed._

 _"Yeah, that's about right." Hanna confirmed._

 _"You're a month and a half pregnant?" I asked. "Please tell me it didn't happen on Labor Day. But if it did, that it didn't happen on my nana's sofa."_

 _"It might have happened on Labor Day." She admitted but quickly added. "But definitely not on your nana's sofa! We learned our lesson many years ago."_

 _"Then I'm very happy for you and Caleb." I told her in relief._

 _"So, what do you want, a boy or a girl?" Mona asked her._

 _"I don't know." She shrugged. "A little girl would be fun to dress up. But a little boy would be just as cute as Caleb. I'd be happy with either. I just hope I'll be a good mom."_

 _"You will be." Emily assured her._

 _"It's normal to be worried. But you'll do great." Aria told her._

 _"There's no such thing as a perfect parent." I stated. "But your baby will love you and Caleb no matter what. How could they not?"_

 _"And we'll be here for you every step of the way." Mona said._

 _"Thanks, you are the awesome-est best friends I could have." Hanna smiled._

* * *

"We all have a lot of memories here don't we?" Aria commented.

"We do, especially Hanna and Caleb. It's my family's lake house, I've been coming here since I was a baby, and I still think they have more than me." I joked.

"Well they definitely have the most as far as sneaking off goes." Mona agreed.

"Oh, like you and Mike have never snuck off at a lake house party?" Hanna countered.

"I could say something. But Aria is sitting right there so it's probably not a good idea." Mona decided. "Anyway, Hanna may have the most of those kinds of memories here. But you, Spencer, have the most romantic one."

"Yeah, I was angry when I saw that Toby had the nerve to show up that night. But by the end of the night I was really happy for you both." Hanna told me.

I knew they were both talking about the night almost five years ago. Toby and I had been broken up and then I went away to New York for eye surgery. He showed up unexpected at the lake house the night Hanna was throwing a party to celebrate the fact that I could see again. It was the first time I had seen him in almost two years and that night we made up and got back together.

"That was an amazing night." I sighed as I remembered it. "But I'm not the only one with a romantic memory. Aria had an unforgettable night here too."

"That's right! Mr. Fitz proposed to you out on the dock." Hanna recalled.

"He did." Aria smiled. "And he also fell into the lake when I said yes."

"Oh gosh, I forgot about that!" Mona started laughing and the rest of us did too. "I'm glad Mike proposed on my porch."

"I think all the guys learned from Ezra." Hanna stated. "Caleb might not have proposed on a dock, under the stars, quoting Shakespeare. But he put lots of thought into it. And of course I screamed 'Hell yes!'"

Caleb proposed to Hanna a year and a half ago. She and Mona had a huge success with the grand opening of Pretty Little Outfits. That night we all went out to dinner together to celebrate. When Hanna asked for a to-go box, she got a black velvet box instead. Caleb took it from her and proposed in front of all of us. And Hanna really did scream 'Hell yes!"

"I remember that. You were ready to yell at the waiter for being an idiot and giving you the wrong box." I laughed.

"So, my engagement was romantic and funny." Aria stated. "Hanna's was sweet and funny. Mona's was sweet and romantic. And Spencer's…"

"Had over-romantic Toby written all over it?" Mona finished.

* * *

 _"Toby?" I called out as another loud clap of thunder echoed through the air._

 _"I'll be there in a second. I'm still looking for the candles." Toby answered. "Can you see if there are any matches in the kitchen?"_

 _We were in the middle of watching a movie when the power went out. There was a backup generator for the Brew but not for the loft._

 _"I found the matches." I said as I handed them to him. "Did you find the candles?"_

 _"Yeah, I found them. I also found something else." He replied._

 _He held out the box we kept our special Scrabble board in. Years ago, back when I was blind, he made a board and tiles just for me. But even though I can see now we still used it._

 _"Wanna play a game? We can't finish the movie anyway." He commented._

 _"Will candles be enough light to see?" I asked skeptically._

 _"They should be." He nodded and started setting up on the floor._

 _"Just let me change into something more comfortable." I told him and then went into the bedroom to find his/my blue shirt._

 _"I think I'll change too." He said as run ahead of me into the bedroom._

 _"Top or bottom?" He smirked when I walked in a few seconds later._

 _As always, I faked a look of complete shock at his question._

 _"Just kidding," He said throwing me the shirt._

 _"Toby Cavanaugh, you are a sentimental idiot." I laughed._

 _"Oh I am, am I?" He asked defensively._

 _"You are. But it's one of the many things that I love about you." I nodded and then kissed him._

 _After a little bit of making out, we went back to the living room. We started playing the game and as usual I took the lead immediately but Toby wasn't far behind. With us, a game of Scrabble was like the race with the hare and the tortoise. With me being the hare and Toby being the tortoise._

 _"You can add 207 points to my score." I stated proudly._

 _"Are you sure you counted that right? Like you said, it is a little dark in here." Toby questioned me._

 _"Quadratic gets me twenty-one. The 'D' is worth two points on a double letter so that gets me up to twenty-three points. And last but not least, both the 'Q' and the 'I' are on triple word scores, giving me a triple-triple. Twenty-three times nine equals two-oh-seven." I explained with a slightly smug tone._

 _"Fine," He gave in and wrote it down. "Shoot!"_

 _"That's your word?" I asked as I tried not to laugh._

 _"Yeah, Spencer, that's the word I'm putting down. And it is worth an astounding eight points." He said sarcastically. "I dropped my tile and I can't find it."_

 _"What letter was it?"_

 _"It was actually a blank tile." He told me._

 _"Well hopefully we can find it in the dark." I sighed as I started to look around._

 _"Hey, Toby," I got his attention a minute later. "I think I found…"_

 _I got up to get some more coffee when I stepped on something. I looked down and saw the blank tile. As I picked it up I felt something on the other side. I flipped it over and there were four little words carved into the wood that held a huge meaning. Will You Marry Me?_

 _"Spencer, I love you." He said as he got up to stand beside me. "You were my friend when nobody else was. Thinking about you kept me going when I was away. You've been there for me through so much. And I want to experience everything that happens in my life, with you."_

 _He paused for a few seconds to get something from his pocket. And then he got down on one knee._

 _"We've had six years together as a couple and as friends. I want to spend more amazing years with you, all the years for the rest of my life. Spencer Jill Hastings, will you marry me?" He proposed._

 _I looked at him and then at the ring. It was sparkling beautifully in the candlelight. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the storm had nothing to do with the power outage. He would've blown a fuse on purpose so he could have candles to add a romantic touch._

 _I had called him a sentimental idiot earlier. But now I saw the big picture. He was recreating the night before our first kiss. He really was the sweetest and most thoughtful guy in the world. I couldn't believe I was lucky enough to have him. And now I would always have him._

 _"Yes," I told him blinking back tears of happiness._

 _He took the ring out its box and placed it on my left hand. He looked up at me with the biggest smile and I wasn't the only one crying._

 _"I love you so much." He whispered and then captured my lips in a kiss._

* * *

How did you like the propasl? Shout out to **prettylittlespoby13** , I know you've wanted that proposal for a long time. Next chapter will have a few more memories mentioned as well as some wedding planning. Who's do you think it'll be? Spencer's or Mona's? Review and let me know what you think. I'll update next when I get **4 or 5** reviews. And sneak peeks whenever this story gets to 15 reviews.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning we had breakfast together and talked about how we were finally going home tonight. Mona and I were cleaning up when Aria called us into the living room.

"Guys, you have to see this!" Aria told us excitedly.

"It's adorable! But hurry up or you'll miss it." Hanna shouted.

We rushed into the room, as ordered, and saw Aria holding Brooklyn's hands as she took a couple steps.

"Another thing we can add to our list of memories here, Brook's first steps." Hanna commented and I noticed she was recording the whole thing. Probably so Ezra could watch it later.

"I can't believe how big she's getting." I sighed.

"I know. She'll be a year old soon." Mona agreed.

"No! No, she is not. She's gonna stay my little baby forever!" Aria stated. "This time a year ago she was still in my tummy and we had just decided on a name."

"I love the story on how you picked out that name." Hanna told her. "Maybe Caleb and I will get lucky and be somewhere cool when I feel the first kick."

Aria was six months along in her pregnancy. She had a job as an art teacher and wanted to get some inspiration for when school started in January. So she and Ezra were going to a New York art museum. They were in a taxi on the Brooklyn Bridge when Aria first felt the baby kick. And that's how Brooklyn got her name. And her middle name came from literature's most classic romance of course.

"Do you guys remember the day she was born? Mike was just as nervous as Ezra." Mona laughed.

"Oh, I remember alright." Aria sighed. "Hey, Hanna, let me give you some advice. Make sure your doctor gives you an accurate due date. Mine told me mid-April when I should have been told late-March or early-April. And second, eating spicy food is not an old wives tale. It really works. I had a craving for Mexican food on Saturday afternoon and by Sunday night Brooklyn was sleeping in the hospital nursery."

"And it wasn't just any Sunday. It was Easter Sunday." I added. "Melissa was in town and she was planned to make a special dinner for the family. And for once I had a decent excuse to get out of it."

"Wait, I thought things were better with your family?" Mona asked me.

"They are. But trying to have a nice family meal is hard. And my dad and Jason in the same room is always a disaster." I told them.

"Yeah, I've witnessed it and it's not fun." Hanna agreed. "And thanks for the advice, Aria. I'll talk to my doctor and make sure I watch the spicy foods."

"You two are so lucky." Mona sighed. "I can't wait until Mike and I start our family."

"Are you planning on starting before or after your wedding?" Hanna asked her.

"Hanna!" Aria yelled.

"What?" She shrugged. "Hey, speaking of the wedding, have you thought about a date yet?"

"Well, Mike finishes this semester. And then he wants to get a coaching job and save up some money to rent an apartment. We haven't really thought of a date, but I want plenty of time to plan the wedding. So it'll probably be in the fall." Mona told her.

"Hey, maybe you and Spencer could have a double wedding." Aria suggested.

"I don't know about that. I have feeling we'd clash too much." I shrugged.

"Yeah, I can see that happening." Mona laughed.

"You know, Spence, you've been engaged for like ever. And you haven't said anything about the date. Other than having Taylor as your flower girl, have you seriously decided on anything?" Hanna pointed out.

"It hasn't been that long." I rolled my eyes. "And yes actually, I have. Jay is going to be the ring bearer."

"Can't you go just five minutes without being sarcastic?" She sighed. "We'll be old and gray before you and Toby tie the knot."

"I'll stop being sarcastic when you stop being so dramatic." I told her. "And we won't be old and gray. We'll be young and tan."

"What is that supposed mean?" Aria laughed.

"It means; Toby and I have been considering this one date but…" I started to explain.

"You have!?" Mona interrupted.

"Why the hell are we just hearing about this?" Hanna demanded.

"Hanna, watch it." Aria stated and pointed to Brooke.

"Sorry," Hanna gave her an apologetic smile. "Why on earth are we just hearing about this?"

"Because, we don't know if the date will work out. We didn't want to say anything until we knew for sure." I answered. "And before you ask, the date in consideration is June the eleventh."

"Of this year?" Hanna and Mona asked in astonishment.

"Yeah," I nodded. "That's why I said we'd be young and tan. It'll be a summer wedding."

"That's a little less than six months! You cannot plan a wedding in that amount of time." Mona told me. "And you still have to finish college."

"It takes at least that long to find a dress and get it altered. And you don't even know for sure. How can the most organized person in the world be engaged for so long be so last minute in planning?" Hanna lectured.

"Toby knew when he proposed that I didn't want to get married until after I graduated." I rolled my eyes. "And I have been planning. I just haven't set anything in stone."

"Why aren't you sure on the date yet? I mean it's after graduation like you want and it's already a special day for you and Toby." Aria pointed out.

"What's so special about that day?" Hanna asked.

"It's the day you threw me a party at the lake house. The one where Toby said he never stopped loving me and we got back together." I told her. "And, well, this year it'll be five years since that night."

"Has it really been that long?" Mona asked and I nodded.

"Okay, forget what I just said." Hanna announced. "You have to get married on that day. I'll do whatever I can to make it possible. I don't care if we have to bribe every venue, flower shop, dress shop, and caterer in Pennsylvania to do it."

"You'll have to really bribe the venue. Toby suggested something and I want to do it. But I'm a little scared of the idea too. And that's why I'm not sure if the date will work out." I told them.

"What did he suggest?" Aria asked.

"That we actually get married at the lake house." I replied.

"That's a great idea!" Mona smiled.

"Yeah, it's perfect. We all love this place and you could honeymoon here too." Aria suggested.

"And of course Toby, aka Mr. Totally Romantic, came up with it." Hanna laughed. "But why are you scared of the idea?"

"I haven't said anything to you guys but for the past couple months… my dad is thinking of selling this place."

"What!?" All three of them yelled.

"My parents don't use this place. My dad says it costs too much to keep up on things like getting the grass cut, making sure the pipes don't freeze in winter, and calling the electric company when a tree falls over and knocks out the line." I sighed.

"How much could it possibly cost to get the grass cut? Even if it costs… let's say two hundred bucks. That's still a small drop in the bucket for someone with as much money as your dad. And has a tree ever fallen down?" Mona asked.

"A couple trees fell when that hurricane hit a few years ago." I shrugged.

"And pipes don't freeze if you use the water and have a little heat on. Someone just needs to come here on occasion during the winter. Like are now." Aria said.

"Not that I want him to sell this place, but couldn't he wait a few more months?" Hanna suggested. "Tell him that his daughter only gets married once, unless you're Melissa."

"Hanna, just because Melissa ran into Wren in London and they had coffee doesn't mean they're back to being engaged." I told her. "And if my dad sells, he wants to do it by May since this place is supposed to be a summer home."

"Your dad might want to sell because he doesn't come here. But we do. We said it last night and earlier this morning, some of our best memories are here. I'm gonna talk to your dad first thing tomorrow morning and make him listen." Hanna insisted.

"Yeah, that's why I said you would seriously have to bribe the venue. My mom doesn't care if we sell it or not, but if she heard about the wedding, she'd side with me. But my dad doesn't care about sentimental value, he cares about cash value. In two weeks he's bringing one of his law partners here to look at the place. And that'll be it."

"Is this really happening?" Aria shook her head and we all sat silent for a few minutes.

"No it's not; because we're not gonna let it." Hanna decided. "Here's our plan. Tomorrow, Spencer, you're gonna tell your mom that you and Toby want to get married here. And Mona and I will talk to your dad before we open up the shop. We'll do what we can to convince him, and your mom can talk to him too."

"Han, I know you want to help. And I appreciate it. But my dad isn't a cute salesman that you can talk into getting you a good deal." I sighed.

"I know, and that's where part two comes in." She announced. "If your dad won't give in, then you'll find out the name of his partner. We can take him and his wife, if he has one, to the club for lunch and talk him out of it."

"How will we do that?" Aria asked her.

"Tell them about the wedding and the story behind that date. And we can talk about our other memories, like guys proposing and a baby's first steps. Maybe they'll see four young, good looking girls, looking for a happy ending and take pity on us." Hanna shrugged. Obviously this was as far as she had planned out.

"My dad's partners are just like him. Unless this place has a leaky roof, animals living under the house, and looks like it's been deserted for the last fifteen years, my dad will convince them to take it." I shook my head.

"Spencer, we're trying to help. But you're already acting defeated." Hanna said frustrated.

"You guys, it's not that big a deal. It was an idea, and a great one. But that isn't the only significant date. I could get married in September on the day Toby and I first talked to each other after he came back to Rosewood. It would give more than enough time to plan. And we can just get married at the church like a normal couple." I suggested.

"It is a big deal!" Hanna yelled. "And forget about planning, September is too far away."

"And you and Toby have never been a normal couple. There's always been something special about you two. And like Hanna said, Toby is Mr. Totally Romantic." Mona added.

"Spencer, this might not work. But at least let us try. It can be like the best wedding present ever if it does." Aria told me. "And sorry, but this isn't just about you and your wedding. We all have memories here and as much reason to keep this place as you do."

"Alright, let's try. I'll talk to my mom tomorrow and find out which of my dad's partners it is." I gave in.

"Yes!" Hanna cheered. "Operation 'Beat Mr. Hastings' here we come!"

We laughed, with her not at her, and ended up celebrating with a group hug as usual.

* * *

First thanks to my five reviewers on last chapter. You are awesome and it got me really excited. And I still plan to give sneak peeks when I get to 15 reviews.

So next is 'Operation Beat Mr. Hastings' do you think it'll work? And sorry for no flashback. Hanna's plan with the lake house was longer than expected. But next chapter has a nice long one for you. I had fun writing it and look forward to sharing it with you. So leave a review and see you soon.


	6. Chapter 6

Just want to say thank you to my reviewers. You are awesome! And I want to answer the three guest reviews. No, Melissa isn't married. Yes, in the first story Back to Me, Melissa was pregnant with Ian's baby but didn't have a miscarriage like the show. And Melissa and Wren won't end up together, more on that later. And Melissa will be returning soon-ish, like chapter 9 or 10. Now let's get to the chapter!

* * *

Twelve days later, I was sitting with Hanna and Mona in Hanna's apartment. Aria would have been there but Brooke was sick so she was home taking care of her.

"I'm really, Spence." Hanna apologized. "You were right. It was useless and I just got all of our hopes up for nothing."

"You tried, Han, and I know you did the best you could. Don't blame yourself." I shook my head.

"I still can't believe it." Mona sighed. "We totally had your mom on our side. And we could have convinced your dad, if Mrs. DiLaurentis hadn't showed up and given her opinion."

"Yeah, who asked for her opinion anyway?" Hanna asked. "I sure as hell didn't."

We followed Hanna's plan. I told my mom that I wanted to get married at the lake house and she thought it was a great idea. She said she would try to talk my dad out of it, but she went out of town after that and never got a chance. Mona and Hanna talked to my dad the next morning like they said but he wouldn't budge so they went to part two of the plan.

Again, Aria couldn't come because she had to take care of Brooke. But the rest of us took my dad's partner to lunch. And we all did some homework before we went. Hanna and Mona found other summer homes in Pennsylvania. And I made a list of the reasons why someone like him shouldn't be so far in the middle of nowhere. Pretty much I gave him the same reason my dad gave me but tried to sound professional about it.

We might have been able to convince him if it wasn't for his wife. She had been talking about getting a summer home. And he wanted to buy the lake house and surprise her with the news on Valentine's Day, which was coming up soon.

Tomorrow was the day that my dad would be showing the lake house. So we made one last attempt to talk to him. This time it felt like we were getting somewhere, until Mrs. DiLaurentis came into his office. She came to ask him a 'legal' question about her divorce. Conveniently, she 'just happen to overhear' our conversation. She told my dad that he should definitely sell and gave a bunch of reasons why. Ultimately he agreed with her of course.

"I know. I came close to slapping her for what she told him." I said with a little anger in my voice.

She had the nerve to say that he could use the money to pay for my outrageous wedding that could otherwise hurt his perf. For the record, Toby and I planned on paying for most of the wedding ourselves. It was another reason for the long engagement, so we could save up. And I never like huge events and was planning a wedding as small as Hanna would allow.

"If didn't have to leave because you're dad told us to, and because Caleb called. I would have done it for you." Hanna stated.

"Me too," Mona nodded. "She's probably just bitter because you're getting married and Alison never got that chance."

"Do you ever wonder what life would be like, if Jenna hadn't done what she did?" I asked, more thinking out loud than actually asking a question.

"Sometimes," Mona shrugged. "I know I never would have become friends with Hanna and the rest of you. I might have still ended up with Mike. But I have a feeling I wouldn't be able to make anything of myself in this town. I'd be stuck in Rosewood and forever stuck under her thumb."

"I wonder if she would have approved of any of our relationships. She'd probably hate Caleb because he wouldn't take her crap. And she'd probably put Aria down even though she'd do the same thing herself." Hanna commented.

"And she'd probably give Emily a hard time too." I added.

"Yeah, and that's just romantic relationships. What about us being friends with Toby and Jason?" Mona wondered.

"Oh Ali would definitely flip out if you became friends with Toby. She was ready to cut me off into exile when she found out I was friends with him. Imagine what she would be thinking if she was with us right now listening to us plan my wedding to Toby." I said and I was laughing at the end.

"Not to be negative, but would Toby and his…family or whatever, have come back to Rosewood if it wasn't for Ali's funeral?" Hanna asked cautiously.

"Now there's a question that I don't have an answer too." I told them.

"Yeah, Jenna wouldn't have because she would want to stay away from Alison. Or she could have come back to do what she ended up doing on Labor Day weekend." Mona suggested.

"As for Toby, he would have gone with his family wherever they went. I like to think he would have found a way to come back, even if just for a short visit." I shrugged.

"Let's talk about something. First, our failure with Mr. Hastings, and now this, I'm getting a little down." Hanna sighed.

"You didn't fail. I said this at first. 'Unless this place has a leaky roof, animals living under the house, and looks like it's been deserted for the last fifteen years, my dad will convince them to take it.' You tried but it was beyond you." I tried to reassure her that it wasn't her fault.

"Wait a minute, what time is it?" Mona asked.

"A little after seven. Why?" I told her.

"We might still have a chance to stop this." She said and Hanna and I gave her confused looks. "Are either of you opposed to a little…sabotage?"

* * *

 _I never thought I'd say this, but life seemed dull in Rosewood. I left for a year to go to a school for the blind in Philly. Now I was back at Rosewood High for junior year. I had tried to go back to the way things were before the fire, but I steered clear of Alison. I was determined to have nothing to do with her._

 _Not being a part of Alison's posse wasn't the only thing that made it dull. I didn't have my best friend anymore. Toby was gone and I doubted that he would ever come back once he got out juvie. Why would he? Some friend I was._

 _But things went from dull to interesting when I heard four girls talking by their lockers. And those four girls just happened to be Alison, Hanna, Aria, and Emily. Alison was ordering them around, no surprise. But it seemed odd that she was telling them to stay away from a house. And Emily seemed to question her too. Then I quietly gasped when I heard what Aria said._

 _"Nobody in this wants to touch Toby with a ten-foot pole." Aria said._

 _Toby was back in town? Was he staying? Would he want to speak to me?_

 _Two days later I overheard another conversation. Toby was leaving the next morning and the girls were going to celebrate at Alison's. I spent the past two days hoping for a chance encounter with Toby but now I realized that wouldn't happen. It was too far a walk to his house or the hill and I knew nobody would drive me._

 _So I walked around in the backyard trying to enjoy the weather and not think about Toby._

 _"Melissa?" I called out when I heard a rustling in the trees behind me._

 _"Alison?" I tried again when I didn't get a response. "Who's there?"_

 _"It's just me, Spencer." I heard someone say quietly._

 _"What are you doing here?" I demanded._

 _It wasn't my intention to sound like that, but I was just so shocked that Toby Cavanaugh was actually in my yard. I thought if we were going to talk I'd have to go to him. I never thought he'd come to me._

 _"I want to talk to you while I have a chance." He said. "And I'm sorry if I scared you. You still drink insanely strong black coffee right?"_

 _I nodded and he placed a cup of coffee in my right hand._

 _"What do you want to talk about?" I asked after sipping the coffee. It had been over a year and he still remembered exactly how I drank my coffee._

 _"First, I wanted to make sure you're alright. I've been really worried this past year."_

 _"It was difficult at first. But I'm fine now." I told him. "Why would you be worried about me though?"_

 _"I know, you're a Hastings and you bounce back like super balls." He sighed. "But of course I was worried. You mean a lot to me, Spencer."_

 _"How can I still mean anything to you after what I did?" I shook my head._

 _"Spencer, do not go down that rabbit trail. I don't have time for argument that will end up in a stalemate and both of us feeling guilty." He stated firmly and I heard a hint of frustration._

 _"Okay fine." I shrugged. "What was the second thing you wanted to say?"_

 _"When my dad asked if I wanted to come to Rosewood for a few days and help pack up the house, I was going to say no. But I heard Jenna say something about you being here. And then I knew I had to come despite how horrible it is being here." He started to tell me._

 _"Why would you change your mind because of me?"_

 _"I've really missed you, Spencer. Every day, for a whole year, I hoped I'd get a chance to see and talk to you again."_

 _"You could have just called." I told him._

 _"That wouldn't have been the same and you know it." He shot back._

 _"Yeah, you're right." I sighed._

 _"You still hate admitting that don't you?" He asked and I could imagine the smug grin on his face._

 _"And you'd be right again, Cavanaugh." I said and I heard him laugh. A sound I didn't realize I had missed._

 _"You know, as annoyed as I am right now, I still have to say this. I've really missed you too." I admitted._

 _"Come here," Toby whispered._

 _I heard him walk closer towards me and then I felt his strong arms wrap around me in a hug._

 _"I thought you were never coming back. That I'd never get a chance to make things right, and tell you how sorry I am." I told him, and I blinked back a few tears._

 _"Spencer, I know what you're going to say. But you have nothing to be sorry about. And don't argue with me, not now."_

 _"Just tell me one thing. Do you hate me, even just a little bit, for handing Alison the lighter?" I had to ask._

 _"Never." He stated and I felt him shake his head. "Not a little bit or a lot. Giving her the lighter was wrong. But you made up for it and anything else you ever did wrong when you ran in and helped us. You saved me, Spencer. Jenna might resent you, but I can never thank you enough."_

 _We sat down on a tree stump that was out of view of my house and the barn. We spent a few minutes talking and catching up. But one question kept nagging me and I had to know the answer._

 _"Will we ever see each other after tonight?" I asked barely above a whisper._

 _"I don't know, Spence. But I hope so." He sighed._

 _"Where are you moving to?" I asked hoping he might live nearby._

 _"Massachusetts." He stated and there went what little hope I allowed myself to have. "Boston's got good eye doctors or something."_

 _Then he added a little more cheerfully, "Maybe you'll get into Harvard one day."_

 _"Yeah, and maybe you'll get into UPenn." I laughed a little._

 _"I doubt that. But no matter what, know that you were the greatest friend I ever had." He told me._

 _"Same here," I nodded._

 _"Spencer, are you talking to somebody out there?" I heard my mom shout from the house._

 _"Just Wren, Mom. I'll be inside in a minute." I yelled back._

 _"I better go before Alison comes out next." He sighed and I nodded in agreement. "Hey, at least we get to say goodbye this time."_

 _"I don't want to say goodbye." I said trying not to cry. Then I got angry that he had to leave again. "But you wanna know what I do want? I want to know where the hell the good in goodbye is. Because this sucks!"_

 _"I wish I knew." He sighed. "Keep up that 4.0, Spence. I'll be looking for the smartest girl on every campus in Boston."_

 _And with that he kissed me on the cheek, gave_ _my hand a squeeze, and then I heard him walk away._

* * *

So this was more of a dream than a flashback. (More on that next chapter) In the past the girls have wondered what it would be like if Ali was alive. But here I decided to explore it a little more and give you some bittersweet AU Spoby. I had fun writing it and throwing in a couple nods to the first flashback from B2M.

As for Mona's question about being opposed to a little sabotage, that'll be explained later. Please leave more awesome reviews and I'll be back soon with the next chapter. BTW did I mention that next chapter is from Toby's POV? ;)


	7. Chapter 7

I came home from work and expected to find Spencer studying as usual. But she wasn't in the loft at all. Thankfully there was a note saying she went out with Hanna and Mona.

I tried not to show it, especially round Spencer, but I was still worried even though Garrett was back in prison. I was nervous every morning when I left for work. And I never fully relaxed until I got home and saw Spencer.

I knew she was fine with Hanna and Mona but I sent her a text just to make sure. A reply came but it wasn't from Spencer. It was from Hanna telling me that Spencer was fine and they were busy planning wedding details. And the groom was forbidden to know about those things.

Spencer would probably be with the girls all night. So I had Caleb come over since I figured he would be as bored as I was.

"Hey, Toby, thanks for having me over." Caleb said as he made himself at home in the kitchen.

"Don't mention it, I figured we'd both be lonely without our girls so why not fix that a little by hanging out." I shrugged.

"So, you and Spencer are finally planning the big day?"

"We've been planning all along." I said a little defensively. "We have a lot of ideas and we know what we want. Spencer picked out flowers and bridesmaid dresses, I looked at tuxes, and we know who'll be in the wedding party."

"That's good." He nodded. "Although I'm sensing that you're gonna say but."

"But, we can't make anything official because we don't have a place anymore. And because we don't have a place we're not sure on the date anymore either." I sighed.

"Yeah, having a date and a place are the number one and number two things on the list." He agreed. "But what do you mean you had a place but now you don't?"

"Spencer and I were thinking of getting married in June. On the day Hanna threw a party for Spencer after she got her sight back. And I suggested that we get married at the lake house. But Mr. Hastings is selling it." I explained.

"That's why Hanna's been extra crazy lately." He said and I could see the lightbulb go off above his head.

"Yeah, the girls have tried several times to talk him out of it but he won't budge. And tomorrow he's showing the place to one of his lawyer partners."

"That sucks. But you know, if you're not set on that exact date, you can always do what Hanna and I did."

"Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't think Spencer will go for eloping during spring break." I laughed. "Plus I think your wife would kill us if she didn't get to plan a huge traditional wedding for Spencer. And I do not want to get reacquainted with her pink furry lamp."

"Ah, I still cringe every time I see that lamp." He shook his head.

"She still has it?" I asked wearily.

"Yeah, it's in her closet right next to the pink pumps she always threatens to throw at people." He told me. "So yeah, eloping isn't a good idea for you. But you'll figure something out."

* * *

"Hey boys," Spencer greeted us, sounding pretty tired, as she walked into the loft.

"Hey, Spence; how was wedding planning?" I asked her and hug her coat up for her.

"What?" She asked confused.

"Hanna texted me and said you were planning the wedding." I said.

"Right, yeah, it was good." She nodded.

"Wow you must either be really tired or you're trying to block out wedding planning with Hanna." Caleb laughed. "Speaking of Hanna, if you're home then she probably is too and I should get going."

"Tell Hanna I said hi." I told him.

"I will. Get some sleep, Spencer." He said and then walked out.

"Spencer, are you okay?" I asked once Caleb was gone.

"Yeah, I'm just tired. The planning was a bit overwhelming." She nodded again. "How was your night with Caleb?"

"Good, we talked and emptied the kitchen of all the food. Oh yeah, and he suggested that we elope over spring break like he did. But then I told him that I don't want to get hit by Hanna's fist or her pink furry lamp again." I told her.

"I don't want a huge wedding like Aria's but I do want all of our friends and family to be there. And if we can't have the lake house, then I'd rather get married in a church than a courthouse." She said after laughing a little.

"What do you mean if we can't have the lake house? You're dad's selling it tomorrow." I asked.

"You never know, anything could happen, the man might not want it after he sees it." She shrugged.

"Again what is that supposed to mean?" I asked her.

"Nothing, just commenting."

"Spencer, I know you better than anyone. What are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything." She tried to deny but I gave her a look. "I'm not really! Think of it as a surprise. I'll tell you tomorrow night I promise."

"What difference is one night gonna make?" I asked both curious and a little frustrated. "And I know you weren't really planning wedding stuff from the way you acted when you came in."

"It could make all the difference." She insisted. "And we were wedding planning, sort of."

"You really expect me to believe that?" I scoffed.

"Not really," She looked down and admitted. "But it's not anything bad. I'd tell you right now but Hanna would kill if she knew I told you this much."

"Come on, let's go to bed." I gave in.

Spencer would tell me when she was ready. And I knew she would never betray Hanna. I was a little scared of what Hanna was planning, considering some things she had done in the past, but I knew it was relatively safe and nothing to worry about.

* * *

The next morning I was woken up earlier than expected. I noticed that the pillow next to me was a little damp and then I realized Spencer was crying in her sleep.

"Spence, wake up." I gently shook her.

"Don't go, Toby, don't go." She mumbled in her sleep.

"I'm not going anywhere, Spence. Wake up, I'm right here." I told her quietly.

This time I shook her shoulder a little harder and it did the trick.

"Toby?" She asked then wiped her eyes.

I handed her the box of tissues from the nightstand she gave me years ago.

"Thanks," She sniffed. "Sorry, I woke you."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Do you want to talk about it?"

"It felt so real." She sighed. "I was back in high school. Ali was alive so your family didn't come for her funeral. You only returned to Rosewood to move out of the house. The night before you left you came to see me. You wanted to make sure I was doing okay. We had a great time talking and I wanted you to stay. But in the end you still had to leave. Your family was moving to Massachusetts and we didn't know if we'd ever see each other again."

"Thankfully that was just a dream." I said quietly.

Now it made sense why she was crying and asking me not to leave.

"I don't know what I'd have done if you didn't come back." She whispered.

"I feel bad for Alison, and wouldn't wish that on anyone. But that's what happened, not your dream. I came back, I stayed, and now we're here together." I assured her.

"I love you." She smiled.

"I love you too." I replied and gave her a quick kiss. "Now it's six-thirty on a Saturday morning. Why don't we both try to get some more sleep?"

"I wish I could agree." She sighed. "But I should probably be getting up anyway. I have to meet Hanna and Mona. Their plans for today are big enough and crazy enough that they just might work."

"Does this have to do with last night?" I asked.

"Yeah," She nodded and got out of bed. "And I'll tell you what's going on tonight over dinner. I'm sure Hanna will want to celebrate so don't make any solid plans."

I knew better than to mess with Hanna's plans so I couldn't protest. I got up and made her coffee to go while she got dressed and then went back to bed when she left. But before I fell asleep I thought about Spencer's dream. In it, Alison was alive and it got me wondering. What would things be like if my mom was alive? And I ended up having a dream of my own.

* * *

 _I walked home after school and sighed in relief as I closed the door._

 _"Toby, is that you?" A woman's voice called from another room._

 _"Yeah, Mom, it's me." I replied and kicked off my shoes._

 _"How was school?" She asked as she came over drying her hands with a dish towel._

 _"Fine," I shrugged._

 _"Now why don't I believe that?" She asked knowingly._

 _"It was just a typical day." I shrugged again. But then she gave me the 'I'm-your-mother-and-I-know-everything-look'. "Okay, Noel Kahn said something about Spencer being with me and we got in a fight."_

 _"Are you hurt? Is Spencer alright?"_

 _"We're both alright. Noel Kahn is pretty much all bark and no bite. And it didn't happen on school grounds so nobody got in trouble." I told her._

 _"I'm sorry things are so rough for you at school. This is why I suggested moving when you got out." She sighed._

 _"Don't worry, Mom. I wanted to come back. If I get to be with Spencer, I can deal with the other stuff." I assured her._

 _"How is Spencer? You haven't brought her over in a while." She commented._

 _"She's good. You know how she is though. She refuses to go anywhere or do anything until she's done studying." I laughed a little._

 _"Well, you seem to be the only person that can drag her away from that. Next time she needs a break tell her there's homemade snow ice cream waiting." She smiled._

 _"Is there?" I couldn't help but ask._

 _"Yes, on the right of the freezer." She nodded and I headed straight for the kitchen._

 _A few hours later I was studying in my room. Well, I was supposed to be studying but I ended up sketching. My mom knocked on my door and poked her head in._

 _"Toby, there's someone downstairs for you."_

 _"If it's Dad tell I don't want to talk to him." I stated firmly._

 _A few months after my mom got out of Radley, she found out he was having an affair. I was scared it would send her back but thankfully it didn't. She kicked him out of the house and divorced him. At first my parents had shared custody of me but that changed when my mom about Jenna after the fire. Now I had nothing to do with my dad and his family and that's how I preferred it._

 _"It's not. It's somebody else that you'll definitely want to talk to." She said and I felt like she was up to something._

 _I followed her downstairs and saw Spencer in the kitchen, sitting in the same spot I had been earlier._

 _"This ice cream is delicious, Mrs. Cavanaugh. Ever thought of opening an ice cream parlor?" Spencer complimented her._

 _"You know she's right, Mom." I agreed with Spencer and then gave her a hug._

 _"Thank you, Spencer, but I think the hospital needs all the nurses it can get its hands on. And I've been told that I'm good when it comes to working with children. In particularly, when it comes to the young girls that are crying and scared after falling out of a tree." My mom teased her a little._

 _"I can't with argue with that." Spencer laughed. "You know, I still have that pink teddy bear you gave me. It's in my room somewhere."_

 _"Well, maybe you can give it to your daughter one day." My mom suggested to her._

 _Spencer had gotten a ride here from Emily so I drove her home later that night. When I got home my mom was getting ready for bed, but she stopped me in the hallway._

 _"Was I right?" She asked me._

 _"About what, Mom?"_

 _"About Spencer being someone that you definitely wanted to talk to."_

 _"Yeah, I always wanna talk to Spencer." I nodded and smiled thinking about her._

 _"I'm happy for you, Toby. And I like her, she's good for you. You deserve something good in your life. Keep her around." She told me and then gave me a kiss goodnight on the cheek._

* * *

 **So Toby had a dream of his own about his mom being alive. I don't know where the idea came from for the last two flashbacks but I hope you enjoyed seeing what might have happened. Feel free to give more ideas, I'll do my best to fit them in. Next chapter you'll find out whether or not they can save the lake house. BTW 25 reviews!? You are amazing! Keep it up :D**


	8. Chapter 8

**Spencer POV**

After leaving the loft, Hanna texted and told me to go straight to the lake house. Once I got there I started on the inside and left the outside for Mona. Hanna would be late but it was okay because she was getting supplies we had forgotten last night.

My dad and his partner, Mr. Smith, would be here at eleven so we had a little less than four hours. 'Operation Beat Mr. Hastings' didn't exactly work. But we were determined to make 'Operation Trash the Lake House' a success.

It rained last night so I filled some pots and pans with water and scattered them so it looked like the roof was leaky. I went back to the kitchen, as well as the pantry, and placed mousetraps all around. In a few of the bathrooms I opened the sink cabinets and left tools as well as removed a couple toilet lids to make it look like there was plumbing problems. Of everything else I did, my favorite was probably removing a few closet, bedroom, and cabinet doors, something Toby taught me.

When I finished the inside I went out to help Mona. Just as I did Hanna's car pulled up.

"Hey, I'm here finally." Hanna waved as she got out. "And I brought reinforcements."

Right on cue, Aria hopped out of the car with three trash bags.

"Aria, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Brooke?" I asked as I hugged her.

"I really wanted to help you guys out. So I called Mike and put him on babysitting duty since he owes me one." She replied.

"What's in the bags?" Mona asked.

"This one has crumpled up newspapers from my art classes. And the other has napkins, empty chip bags, red plastic cups, and a couple of disposable coffee cups. I figure we can scatter the stuff across the lawn." Aria told us. "I know it might seem overboard. But Mr. Hastings knows we have parties here sometimes. It'll just look like we never clean up."

"I can't argue with that. It's actually a good idea. But we're gonna have to clean this all up afterwards." I pointed out.

"We'll get the guys to do it for us. We did the hard work getting it this way and they can do the cleanup." Hanna shrugged.

"And how do you plan to trick them into that?" Mona asked.

"We don't need to trick them. You'd be surprised how much Caleb has been bending over backwards for me the past couple weeks. He'd do it just so I don't overdo myself and the other guys wouldn't want to be shown up by him. It's simple." Hanna told us.

"Okay, what's in the other one?" I asked and pointed to the smallest of the bags.

Aria and Hanna shared and mischievously evil look between each other before simultaneously answering the question. "Dirty diapers."

"Eww!" Mona and I shouted at them.

"I am not hiding those around the house!" I yelled and pointed at the bag in disgust.

"It doesn't bother me. I'll just stick them in the trash cans." Aria shrugged.

"I'm afraid of the rest of the stuff you brought, Hanna." Mona told her.

"There's nothing else gross, just the stuff on the list." She told us but I didn't believe her.

"Hanna, I can tell when you're lying." I stated and folded my arms.

"I'm not lying. Now come on, we're wasting time." She said and then marched into the house.

And with that it was back to work. By the time Hanna spotted my dad's car we had the place looking really crappy and rundown. The four of us hid behind some bushes with a couple pairs of binoculars as we watched my dad's stunned face.

"What the hell?" He yelled.

"I didn't realize this place was so rundown, Peter." Smith commented as he looked around.

"It's not, Smith. My daughter and her friends used to have parties here. I didn't realize they were suck slobs. I thought she was more responsible than that." My dad shook his head.

We continued to quietly watch them look around outside. But we almost blew our cover laughing when Mona's handiwork was put to use. She put a motion sensor on the sprinkler system and my dad unknowingly set it off. Even from the distance I could see the smoke coming from his ears and I knew he was almost ready to explode. He marched over to the boat shed and found a couple of towels.

"My goodness, Peter, did something die in here?" Smith asked as he dried off with the towel.

"No, we always keep this shed locked. An animal probably died in the woods nearby." My dad told him, and again we wanted to laugh.

"That Smith guy doesn't look happy so far. You did a great job, Mona." Hanna told her.

"Oh, you've only seen a taste of what I've done." Mona said deviously.

And she was right. The nice patio furniture was replaced with some cheaper stuff that was on the ground covered in mud. A different shed had chalk graffiti on the one side. And there was a huge mud puddle in front of the back and side door making them inaccessible.

When they went into the house, we moved and peeked into the kitchen windows.

"I wish we could hear them." I sighed. "My dad must be going crazy."

"Yeah he might know that the roof is fine. But I don't think he'll be able to convince the other guy with all those pots and buckets." Mona stated.

"And wait until he finds the two fake dead mice in the kitchen. You really outdid yourself there, Spence. I was a little grossed out when I went to put the diapers in the kitchen trash." Aria told me.

When they came outside again, I led the girls to my old treehouse for cover.

"I just don't know, Peter." Smith shrugged. "It looks like a great place. But there's a lot to fix up. Just between a roofer, a plumber, and an exterminator, I'd have to pay a small fortune."

"It's not that bad. I swear the roof is fine, I have a plumber friend that could cut you a deal, and I can get my daughter and her friends to clean up their messes." My dad stated.

"I appreciate the offer and I would love to do business with you. But I think I'll pass and find another place." He broke it to him. "And Peter, here is a bit of free advice. If you want to sell this place, spend the money yourself to fix it up instead of leaving to the buyer. You're asking a reasonable price for this place but it's too much when you factor in the price of repairs."

"I wish we could work this out. But I understand where you're coming from. I honestly had no idea things were this bad. I haven't been here in years and that's one of the reasons I want to sell." My dad told him.

"Well, it definitely seems like your daughter and her friends have a good time. Maybe you could rent the place to them and make them keep up on it. It seems like all of them could use a lesson in responsibility." He told him.

"That might not be a bad idea." My dad said and he looked like he was considering it.

After that the two men shook hands, got in their cars, and drove off.

"Does this mean what I think it does?" Hanna whispered.

"Yeah, I think so." Aria nodded.

"Why are you two whispering? My dad's gone and it's just us." I asked them.

"I'm trying not to get too excited or hopeful." Hanna told me still whispering. "Dang it, Spencer, you're rubbing off on me."

"You say it like it's a bad thing." I laughed.

"I think it's a matter of opinion." Mona shrugged.

"Well then, it is my opinion that 'Operation Trash the Lake House' has been a success." I stated.

"We did it!" Hanna squealed.

"I'm so glad this worked out. I can't imagine losing this place. I want Brooke and all our kids to have as much fun here as we did." Aria said.

"I'm sure it goes without being said, but thank you so much. If it weren't for your help and planning this never could have been pulled off." I told them and gave individual hugs to each of them and the one big group hug.

"You're welcome, Spencer. It was actually really fun." Mona told me.

"And of course I helped out. I want to plan your dream wedding." Hanna stated and we all laughed.

"Before you start planning the wedding, you should probably get your husband over here to clean the place up." Aria suggested.

"Yeah, I'll call Toby so he can help too. And also so I can tell him the good news." I added.

* * *

 **Toby POV**

Around noon I got a call from Spencer asking me to come to the lake house. Luckily things were slow today and I could leave the store to the guy that helped me out. When I asked why she said she would tell me when I got there. I was expecting her to tell me that something needed to be fixed. Or that her dad was making her box up everything and needed help. But when I got there, I saw the last thing I was expecting.

"Spencer, what is all this? Did a freak tornado come through here?" I asked her in shock.

"No, this is all our doing." She laughed and shook her head. "Just wait until you see the inside."

"But why?"

"Hanna's hungry and wants to go out to lunch to celebrate. I'll tell you on the ride there what's going on." She said and then walked over to Hanna.

She came back and told me where to go and then got in the passenger's seat of the truck.

"So…" I trailed off, hinting for her start talking.

"Last night, Hanna and Mona were apologizing for not being able to convince my dad. And I reminded them of something I said when I first told them. 'Unless this place has a leaky roof, animals living under the house, and looks like it's been deserted for the last fifteen years, my dad will convince them to take it.' Then Mona asked if we were opposed to sabotage."

"So instead of wedding planning you were planning how to destroy the lake house." I stated. "Is that why this morning you said the plans were crazy enough that they just might work?"

"Yeah, I was still a little unsure of things, but once I got started I felt more confident. And for the record, it did work. My dad's partner doesn't want the place." She told me and the smile on her face was the biggest one I'd seen in a while.

"He's doesn't want it? Are you sure? Does that mean your dad's gonna keep it?" I asked quickly trying not to get too excited.

"Yes, I'm sure. I heard it with my own ears. He thought the place was too much of a fixer-upper. He told my place that the place won't sell if he doesn't fix it up first. And my dad probably won't try selling it again. But if he does we'll have more time to talk him out of it again. Hanna and the others are determined to make sure we get married there."

"We're really gonna get married at the lake house?" I asked. I used to think it was a great idea but lately I had written it off as a possibility.

"Yep," She nodded and smiled again.

"Wow, I thought it wouldn't be possible." I shook my head and tried to take it in. "Okay, one more question. Is that why you said you were sort of wedding planning and that this was a surprise?"

"Yeah, I didn't want you to get your hopes up just in case my dad managed to sell the place anyway. And Hanna didn't actually swear me to secrecy, but it was the only way I could get you to stop asking questions." She told me.

"I think this is one of the best surprises you've ever given me. Thank you." I told her and smiled as I parked the truck in front of the restaurant.

"You're welcome. But this wasn't just for you, you know. The others have a lot of good memories there. And I've been dreaming about getting married there since you first said it." She told me.

"I can't wait to marry you." I said and leaned in to give her a kiss.

* * *

 **They did it! Spoby will be getting married at the lake house. But a few more road blocks will come up before the big day arrives. I hope you liked this fun chapter with the girls. I had way more stuff written when it came to trashing the place but it made the chapter too long. Next chapter Melissa will return. And there will be more fun with the girls, including Emily, when Spencer looks for a wedding dress. Sneak peeks of the fun and excitement next chapter when this story gets 30 reviews.**


	9. Chapter 9

Two weeks later Melissa came back from London and she asked me to have lunch with her. It was good to see her again. And I had a lot of fun telling her about the lake house. Now my mom, Jason, and Melissa knew what we'd done, but my dad didn't have a clue.

"That is the most insane thing I've ever heard. I can't believe you did it! Or that it actually worked!" Melissa laughed.

"Yeah, I wasn't sure if it'd actually work either." I laughed too. "But I'm so glad it did. I owe Hanna, Mona, and Aria so much."

"I'm glad you're getting married there too, it's so sweet. And I never wanted Dad to sell in the first place. I hardly ever go there now, but when I was in high school and college I had some good times there too." She told me.

"That's what I tried to tell Dad beforehand but he wouldn't listen. He didn't use it so he wanted to make some money off it." I shrugged.

"Is it true what Mom and Dad told me about you and the others paying rent for using the place?" She asked.

"Yeah, like I said, Dad wanted to make money off it instead of spending money to keep it up. He considered selling it to the girls and me since we wanted it so bad. But even if we all pitched in we couldn't come up with the money, so he's renting it to us. I offered to pay all of it but the others wouldn't hear of it. Anyway, none of us really care. At the end of the day I still get to have my wedding there and we can continue to hang out there."

"I guess that's true, but I just can't believe he's doing it. Where'd he get that idea anyway?"

"From Mr. Smith, he suggested that Dad rent it to us. He said it should teach us responsibility." I stated. "But it's more like down payments than rent. In a few years Dad said the place will be all ours and we can do whatever we want.

"If only he knew the truth." She shook her head and laughed. "You keep that lake house clean enough to be in a magazine. Like you'd ever be irresponsible and let it get that bad. And I'm glad that you'll get the place. It should stay in the family and it means a lot to you."

"I'm glad he doesn't know the truth though otherwise he might still be interested. And yeah, it does. I wouldn't let myself get too excited before, but now I can't wait to get married there."

"So now that you have your date and place confirmed, how's the rest of the planning coming along?"

"It's good. We have the bridesmaid dresses and by the way you'll need to schedule a fitting. We also have the flowers, cake, and caterer. And Emily is driving down tonight so she can go dress shopping with the girls and me tomorrow." I told her.

"Mind if I come?" She asked hesitantly. "I can have Mom watch Taylor."

"I wouldn't mind at all. It feels like something sisters should do together." I said to her.

"It does." She nodded. "I was a little worried you'd pick one out while I was away and I wouldn't get to be there."

"Other than trashing the lake house, not much happened. I was too busy with school and worrying about Garrett to do much." I shrugged. "Plus there was a lot I couldn't do because I didn't know where or when I was getting married. Now I do and things are moving faster."

"Yeah, I'm glad that's all over and he's back in jail where he belongs." She sighed. "So, is there anything I can help you plan?"

"You can help pick out Taylor's flower girl dress. Right now I can't think of any else of the top of my head. But I'll definitely let you know." I told her.

* * *

 **Next morning...**

"So, what time is Emily getting here?" Toby asked me the next morning as he refilled my coffee mug.

"She texted and said she should be here in twenty minutes. And thanks for the coffee." I told him.

"You're welcome. I figure you can use all the energy you can get for shopping with Hanna." He laughed a little.

"Well, you figured right. And this isn't even normal shopping, it's wedding dress shopping. There's gonna be hundreds of dresses to choose from and there's gonna be five different opinions to take into consideration." I sighed, feeling a little overwhelmed. I couldn't imagine what I'd feel like once I was actually in the store.

"Don't forget to take your own thoughts into consideration too, Spence. This isn't a time for you to please everyone. This is your dress for your wedding." He stated and I knew he was right.

"I know. I just want to make sure I find the perfect one. I mean this is probably the most important shopping trip ever. I'm gonna walk down the aisle and have a million pictures taken in the dress."

"It is important. Not that you find the perfect dress, because we know nothing's perfect, but that you find the dress that you love and want to wear. And don't worry. If you don't find a dress today there'll be other trips to others shops. Or you could always have Hanna and Mona design you a dress." He tried to reassure me.

And it worked. I felt a less pressure to find the one and only perfect dress. I almost wished I could take him with me to keep me from getting too stressed out or overwhelmed. But I knew Hanna and the others would throw a fit. And I really wanted the dress to be a surprise, to see Toby's face when he saw me in the dress for the first time as I walked down the aisle.

"No, Hanna already said she won't design any wedding dresses. She said she would be too busy critiquing her work instead of focusing on the bride and groom." I shook my head and laughed a little. "And Hanna really wants me to have a designer dress. I think she's vicariously living through my wedding planning since she borrowed her mom's dress and eloped with Caleb."

"That was her mom's dress?" He asked and I nodded. "Wow, I thought Hanna would choose something that was the latest fashion not something from the 90s."

"She probably would have if she planned a real wedding." I agreed. "But she's happy that she wore her mom's dress. It's something special that they got to share together."

"Did you ever think of doing that? Wearing your mom's dress I mean."

"It might have crossed my mind once when I was little. But I always assumed it would go to Melissa. And I think it's too yellow now for me to use." I shrugged.

After that the subject got changed and we finished our breakfast just as Emily showed up.

"Hey, Toby," Emily greeted him first since he opened the door as I finished rinsing my coffee cup.

"Hey, Em, it's good to see you. It feels like forever since Thanksgiving." He said and gave her a friendly hug.

"I know, I wanted to come down for Christmas or New Year's but I couldn't. Maybe we can do something for Easter or spring break." Emily suggested.

"And you'll be coming to our wedding too of course." I added as walked over to them and hugged Emily.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'm really happy for you both." Emily told us with a genuine smile.

"Thanks, Em." Toby nodded.

"Thanks, Em. And we glad you and Maya are happy together." I told her. "And speaking of the wedding we should probably get going."

"Yeah, the bride can't get married without a dress." Emily joked. "See you later, Toby."

* * *

The first thing we did was go downstairs to get some lattes to-go from the Brew and then we headed over to my parents' place to pick up Melissa. My mom wished me luck and after that it was on to the dress shop. It was an hour and a half to the shop in Newark, Delaware. I was fine with going to a local one or one in Philly, but Hanna insisted on this one. She said something about an end of February sale, plus no sales-tax in Delaware.

We got there and on the outside it didn't look like a place Hanna would shop at. But the inside was packed with beautiful dresses. It was overwhelming at first and everyone had different opinions on what I should try first. Emily and Melissa wanted me to try something traditional and the others wanted me to try something fun.

The first thing Hanna did was make a rule that it had to be a big designer name dress. And I made a few rules myself. I wasn't a fan of overly huge ball gowns, I felt like I got lost in the dress. And I didn't really want a mermaid or trumpet dress because I didn't want everyone staring at my butt.

The first two dresses weren't my taste. But the third dress was more my taste. It still had lace but not as much as the second dress. It was V-neck but not too low. It had cap sleeves, beading on the bodice, a chapel train, and a sheer back that was button-up. This dress everyone loved including me.

"Okay, I liked that other one but this…this is you." Melissa told me when I stepped out of the dressing room.

"It's gorgeous, Spencer." Aria nodded in agreement.

"I love how long the train is. But are you sure about all those buttons on the back? There must be at least thirty?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, I know it's a lot." I laughed nervously as I looked at them all in the mirror. "That's really the only downside. But the rest of the dress is so amazing that I can overlook it."

"I just love the way this looks on you. It's like traditional, vintage meets classy and stylish with a hint of modern." Hanna gave her fashion critique opinion.

"Hanna's right. It fits you really well. And it's fit-n-flare not mermaid so it shows your curves without being too tight in the butt." Mona added her fashion opinion as well.

"This is definitely my favorite so far. And it's a Mori Lee so I have the designer part covered." I told them and Hanna and Mona looked pleased.

"And I think Toby would like it too." Emily commented.

"I hope so." I said feeling a little nervous.

"Okay, we all agree that this dress is great. But we drove a long way to get here. Let's try some more to make it worthwhile. Plus we're all here together and probably won't be again until Spencer's wedding. So let's have some fun." Hanna stated. "Try a really crazy one on next, Spencer."

I tried on about five or six others dresses and we had some good laughs. But in the end I came back to the third one. And I really knew it was the dress for me when Melissa revealed a surprise.

"I talked to Mom last night when I asked if she could watch Taylor today. And we both agreed that if it goes with your dress that you should wear this." Melissa said as she pulled our mom's veil out of her tote bag.

"Melissa, I can't wear that! It's meant for the oldest daughter." I tried to tell her.

My grandmother wore the veil and then gave it to her oldest daughter, my mom. And my mom always said she would give it to Melissa.

"Spencer, Mom didn't get it because she was born first, she got it because she was married first." Melissa reminded me. "I've already been married. And even if I got remarried it wouldn't be before June. So you're getting married first, and you're the first to have a real wedding. Now, try on your veil."

I did as I was told, and with a little help I got it situated perfectly.

"Wow," I gasped when I saw my reflection.

"Okay, Spencer, listen to your sister. If this isn't a sign that you're meant to wear that dress and that veil then I don't know what it." Hanna stated.

"The third time is the charm because that is your dress, Spencer." Mona told me.

"You're right, Mona, this is my dress. And thanks for the veil, Melissa." I told them and Melissa and I shared a smile.

"Now, Spencer, let's make this official." Hanna said then gave the others a look.

"Are you saying yes to the dress?" They asked simultaneously.

"I'm not on a TV show." I laughed and rolled my eyes.

"That doesn't matter. Just say it." Hanna demanded.

"Okay, I'm saying yes to this dress." I gave in but I didn't mind. My friends were the best and this really was my dress.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed seeing Spencer and Melissa spending time together. And also the little bit of Spoby I managed to fit in. There will be more Spoby coming up soon. If anyone's interested, the dress I had in mind is a Mori Lee dress style 2706. BTW sorry I've gone two chapters without flashbacks. But there will be one next chapter I promise! And a big thank you for the reviews last chapter! Keep it up :)**


	10. Chapter 10

The girls and I went out to lunch and then went back to my parents'. That way my mom could see the dress, and also hide it for me until the wedding.

My mom thought the dress was beautiful and Melissa suggested I try it on real quick for her. So all of us went upstairs to my old room and I slipped into the dress again. And Melissa also helped with the veil again.

"You look gorgeous, Spencer." My mom told me and then started to rapidly blink. "I can't believe my baby is getting married. It feels like yesterday that your father and I were bringing you home from the hospital."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Hastings, my mom felt the same way. It's normal." Hanna said to her.

"I'm sure she did." My mom nodded.

"Toby is gonna fall in love with you all over again when he sees you walk down the aisle, Spencer." Emily told me.

"Who wants to bet that Toby will cry when he sees Spencer?" Hanna asked.

"Oh he totally will." Mona laughed and Aria nodded.

"You are terrible. We're here admiring my dress, having a moment. And you're betting on whether or not my fiancé will cry?" I questioned the trying to sound irritated. But really I was trying not to laugh.

"Is it really that surprising?" Aria asked me.

"No, but I still can't believe it." I shook my head.

"Well believe it. Because you are gonna be a beautiful bride and Toby will be awe-struck when he sees you." Hanna stated and the others agreed.

"Yeah, she is right about that, Spence." Melissa agreed.

* * *

 _It was my twenty-first birthday and I was celebrating with the girls. We were in the barn talking and doing hair and make-up before going out to a bar._

 _"So does Toby have any plans for the two of you later tonight?" Emily asked me. She had come down just to spend tonight with the rest of us._

 _"He's probably planning something, but he hasn't said anything." I shrugged._

 _"I think I might have an idea of what he's planning." Hanna smirked._

 _"What do you know that I don't?" I demanded._

 _"You and Toby have been together for a long time, almost five years to be exact. And it's your birthday. I think it's about time for Toby to get down on one knee." She stated._

 _"He's not gonna propose. Not tonight anyway." I said shaking my head._

 _"Why not?" Aria asked curiously._

 _"First, we agreed not to get each other anything too expensive for our birthdays. We both prefer simple instead of over the top." I told her. "And second, as romantic as that is, it is not original. Toby is over-romantic but tries not to be too cliché._

 _"Oh, like you actually follow that rule. Yeah right! Are you forgetting that gold pocket watch you gave him when he started the furniture store?" Mona laughed. "I bet he proposes to you before this semester's over. So that means five weeks tops."_

 _"I wouldn't bet against Mona, Spencer." Aria told me._

 _"And why's that?" I asked her._

 _"She bet that you would move in with Toby after your first year of college." Emily stated._

 _"You were betting on that!?" I yelled._

 _"It wasn't betting. It was a chance to make money. We all knew you hated living on campus. And the whole point of Toby getting the loft was so you live with him." Hanna stated._

 _"That was not the point of getting the loft. It was so he could get away from his family." I corrected her._

 _"And so you two could have a place to be together privately. That's pretty much the same thing." Hanna pointed out and then smirked. "Now, Mona, here's a twenty. I bet that he proposes before midnight tonight."_

 _"Okay, Hanna puts down twenty for midnight." Mona said as she wrote it down. "Anybody else?"_

 _"Sorry, Spencer." Aria apologized and then gave Mona some money._

 _I should have been more annoyed but I wasn't. That's just the way they were and I just had to accept it. And I wouldn't admit it to them but I did hope that Toby would propose soon. I knew he was the one I wanted to be with and I wanted to start our lives together officially._

* * *

The girls went home and I went out to dinner with my mom and Melissa. It was rare because Taylor was a bit of a handful at restaurants. But we enjoyed our evening together.

"I can't believe how fast the wedding details are moving along. A few weeks ago you had barely anything and now it seems like you have all your ducks in a row." My mom commented.

"Yeah, it's crazy but I'm glad things are finally happening." I replied. "And there are still a few things that need to be decided on."

"Oh, Spencer, I made a fitting appointment for the bridesmaid dress this afternoon. It's on Thursday. Do you think you could come?" Melissa told me.

"Sure, just let me know what time it is." I nodded.

"So what else do you need to decide on? I don't have anything planned for next weekend if you need help with anything." My mom offered.

"The ceremony will be out by the lake but the reception will be both indoors and outdoors. I could use some help figuring that out." I told her.

It felt nice to have both my mom and Melissa taking part in my wedding. I always assumed my mom would be too focused on Melissa to help me. And Melissa would be too absorbed in her own life. But things have changed for the better.

"Hey, Spence, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But have you thought about where you're going for your honeymoon?" Melissa asked.

"We've discussed it and we have some ideas. But no, we haven't decided yet. But I know we have to do it soon if we want to get plane tickets and book a decent hotel room." I shook my head.

"Well, when I was in London I heard about this amazing bed and breakfast. I just thought I'd give you the idea." She suggested.

"Thanks, Mel, but we'd never come back if we went to London." I laughed.

"I understand that completely." She agreed. "I might consider moving there if I wasn't worried about Taylor being away from Grandma and Aunt Spencer."

"And Uncle Jason and Jay." Taylor added momentarily looking up from the coloring book she was absorbed in.

"I don't think I'd mind if she spent a little time away from Jason. Last time he watched Taylor, she came home with nightmares because he let her watch a Tim Burton movie. But she does love playing with Jay." Melissa admitted.

"It's a guy thing. I remember your father letting you watch a few movies that scared you when you two were little." My mom told us.

"It probably is because I can totally see Caleb doing that with his kid." I said.

"Yeah me too." Melissa nodded.

"So back to the honeymoon, I know you want to pay for most of it yourself. But Spencer, if there's anywhere you want to go, like London, let me know." My mom offered.

"Thanks, Mom, I will." I nodded.

I appreciated the off but I knew I probably wouldn't take it. Toby and I didn't know where we going. But we did know we wanted to go somewhere we could easily visit again for an anniversary.

* * *

The rest of the dinner was spent talking about other wedding details, Melissa's time in London, and a few other things. And afterwards I went back to the loft.

"Hey, Spence," Toby said smiling as I walked through the door.

"Hi, Tobes. How was your day?" I replied as kissed him on the cheek.

"It was good. How was yours? Did you find a dress?" He asked.

"I had a good time with the girls and later on my mom and Melissa. And yes, I did find a dress. But that's all you're gonna know until you see me walking down the aisle on our wedding day." I stated firmly.

"Well, I'm glad you had a good day." He nodded. "But are you sure that's all you're gonna tell me about the dress? That you got one."

"Positive." I told me with a smirk.

"So is there anything that you can tell me about your day?"

"Everyone agrees that you'll love the dress." I told him, leaving out the part about the bets on him crying.

"I'm sure I will." He smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too." I said and gave him a kiss.

After a few more kisses, well making out really, Toby got up and made us some coffee. It was too early to go but I was super tired from trying on so many dresses.

"So is that all you're gonna tell me about your day? That it was good?" I asked him and he laughed.

"I talked to Caleb earlier. And this afternoon Jason asked me to come to the park and we taught Jay how to play a little baseball." He told me.

"Baseball? Jay isn't even three until next week." I questioned not sure how that worked out.

"I know he's young but Jason already has him into sports. The kid can throw pretty good. Although it was probably more like catch than it was baseball. But saying I spent my afternoon playing baseball sounds better than catch."

"I would agree with you on that." I nodded. "But I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"Yeah, I've had a good time hanging out with the guys today. But I'd also like to hang out with you some more."

"I think that can be arranged." I smirked. "Scrabble?"

"Only if you're prepared to be crushed." He challenged.

"Oh I won't be the one getting crushed." I stated competitively.

Turns out I was right. I won the game which was kind of a rarity. Anyone else in the world I could beat in my sleep. But with Toby, it's neck and neck until the last turn.

"Wow, I can't believe you actually beat me for once." Toby sighed and shook his head as we cleaned up the game.

"For once? It's happened quite a few times. I don't win as often as you do but I've one more than once." I said defensively. "And if I recall correctly, the loser gets to run downstairs before it closes and get some coffee and pastries."

"You are correct. I'll be right back." He nodded and then went out the door.

"Here you go, Spence." Toby said as he placed the coffees and baked goods down on the kitchen table.

"Thank you, Tobes." I smiled and gave him a kiss. "So, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Sure. What about?" He asked and I told him how Melissa asked about our honeymoon.

"Yeah, this wedding is coming up fast." He agreed. "Since Melissa brought it up, did she give any suggestions?"

"She suggested a place she heard about in London."

"I don't know about that. If we're gonna go to Europe I'd rather go to France." He told me and I knew his reasons behind it.

"I enjoy that a lot. But I also want to go somewhere closer to home. That way we can visit whenever we want. It could be for either a weekend get-away, birthday, or anniversary." I commented.

"Yeah, I like that idea too." He nodded. "There are countless beaches we could go to. Or we could go somewhere else like New York or Chicago. And we can stay really local if we go up to the Poconos."

"I love the Poconos. But it's gonna be summer and I feel like we should go to the beach. What about Cape May or Ocean City?"

"Not Ocean City. Jenna liked to go there and drag me along." He stated and I ruled it out.

"Let's do Cape May then. We can also go to Wildwood and Rio Grande. And Sunset Beach is a must. We've got to see the Concrete Ship before it's gone." I suggested.

"Sounds perfect." He nodded and then kissed me. "How about we go to our room? Practice a few things that'll happen during the honeymoon?"

"I think I can agree to that." I grinned and then started kissing him. Next thing I knew Toby was carrying me bridal-style to our room.

* * *

 **Hey everyone, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Do you think Toby cry at the wedding? Wait and find out ;) Thank you guys for all the reviews and advice. If there's anything you want to see happen just let me know. Next chapter has a lot to look forward to. Including some fluff and a double date with Spoby and Haleb! And there's also some drama headed their way.**


	11. Chapter 11

"Hey, Spence, are you ready? Hanna and Caleb will be here any minute." Toby asked me poking his head into the bedroom.

"Yeah, I'll be ready as soon as I can get this necklace on." I nodded and I fumbled with the clasp.

"Here, let me get that for you." He said and brushed my hair to the side. He managed to hook the clasp in a few seconds and then made a trail of kisses from the back of my neck to my lips.

"Thank you," I smiled after the kiss. "I'd continue making out with you right now. But like you said, Hanna and Caleb will be here any minute."

I had been wedding planning like crazy with Hanna and it got to the point where we both needed a break. So tonight the four of us were going on a double date. We hadn't had one in a long time and I was really looking forward to it.

A few seconds after my statement we heard loud banging on the door. Hanna and Caleb had arrived.

"Hey come on in. I just need to put my shoes on and then we can go." I told them as I opened the door.

"No problem. Mind if I use your bathroom?" Hanna asked but didn't bother waiting for a reply.

I quickly put my shoes on and then headed back to the guys. Since I was rushing I bumped in the kitchen table and knocked over a pile of mail. As I picked everything up, one letter in particular caught my eye and I was shocked to see who it was from.

"Toby, did you check the mail today?" I asked him.

"No, I grabbed it but I haven't had a chance to look at any of it." He told me. "Why, is there something important?"

"You can look through your mail after dinner. The baby and I are starving!" Hanna stated and headed for the door.

"This can't wait, Hanna. There's a letter from his dad." I told her and everyone, especially Toby, looked at me like I had three heads.

"Are you sure?" Toby asked me.

He hadn't heard from his dad since he told him about our engagement. And that conversation didn't go over well. Actually his dad didn't really care, but his stepmother still blamed me for blinding Jenna and getting her arrested.

"Yeah, it's his address." I nodded and handed him the envelope.

"It's not from my dad. It's from Jenna." Toby said almost too quietly to hear.

"What!?" Hanna and Caleb asked/yelled.

"How is that possible?" I asked him.

"My stepmom visits her as much as she can. Jenna probably asked her to mail it to me." Toby explained.

"What does the evil, wicked stepsister have to say?" Caleb asked sarcastically.

"Not much. 'Beware the Ides of March. Love, Jenna.' That's all it says." Toby told us.

"Well, your birthday is in a few days. Maybe it's a birthday card and she wrote something from a really weird fortune cookie?" Hanna suggested but we all know that wasn't the case.

"The Ides of March is today, March 15th. It was the day Julius Caesar was killed. Jenna just sent us a threat." I informed them.

"Does this mean Garrett is going to get out of jail again and come after us this time?" Hanna asked.

"I don't think Garrett is involved. If he was, why wait until now? Why not just send him after us when he got out in January?" Toby commented.

"Simple, it could have been to lure us into a false sense of security." I stated.

"Here's a better question. Why now, almost six years after she got caught? If you wanted to break out of jail and get revenge wouldn't you do it right away?" Caleb pointed out.

"She's Jenna, there's a reason behind everything she does. We just have to figure out what it is." Toby answered.

"Well, that just blew our fun evening out." Hanna sighed.

"No, that's what Jenna wants. All of us to sit around worrying and being afraid that she's going to attack. For now, she and Garrett are still in jail. So let's forget about this for now and enjoy our double date." I told everyone and then headed for the door.

* * *

"Caleb, that's not fair!" Hanna yelled at him after he started drinking a second beer.

"Why not? I've worked hard all day and I think I deserve to relax and have a drink." Caleb defended himself.

"What you think you're the only ones that worked hard today? Owning a business isn't a piece of cake, and selling clothes is a lot more work than buying clothes. And if you forgot I'm six months pregnant. My back and feet are killing me and I stand for most of the day. And in thirteen weeks I'm going to be in the hospital delivering this baby. And that will not be a walk in the park. So if anyone deserves a drink after a hard day, it's me. But I can't! So it is not fair because I doubt you had to put up with everything that I did." Hanna ranted.

Caleb looked stunned and Toby and I were trying out best not to laugh.

"Hanna, I'm sorry. You're right. I won't drink it." Caleb apologized and handed his drink to Toby.

"That's better but you shouldn't have ordered it in the first place." She stated.

"I know and I'm sorry. How can I make it up to you?" He asked her.

"You can't." She told him then turned to me and smirked. "But you can."

"I'm scared of what you're about to ask me to do." I came right out and admitted.

"Oh, it's nothing big. But since I can't drink, I want you to drink on my behalf." She said to me.

"What? No! Hanna, you know as well as anyone that I can't drink. I become a drunken mess and I do not want to deal with a hangover tomorrow." I told her hoping that she was joking.

"But you said we should forget Jenna and enjoy our double date. And to enjoy it we need to let loose and have fun." She insisted.

"Hanna, have you forgotten the look on the hostess' face when you yelled at her for flirting with Caleb?" Toby spoke up.

"Yeah, that was the most I've laughed in a while. And for the record, getting drunk and making an idiot of myself is not what I consider fun." I stated.

"But it's fun for us." She laughed. "And how can you say no to your best friend that's also pregnant?"

"Fine, I'll have one drink." I sighed and gave in. "But if I'm hungover tomorrow, I'm gonna make you take a day off and nurse me back to health just like you did to me."

"That was a year ago! And you have Toby to do that for you." She argued.

"And you had Caleb back then." I pointed. "Look, I don't care how long ago that was. It's time you deal with that experience."

* * *

 _"Oh, Spencer, I'm so glad you're finally here. What took you so long?" Hanna said as soon as I stepped inside her bedroom._

 _"What took me so long?" I asked in confusion. "Hanna, I got here in seven and a half minutes. That's like a new record usually it takes ten."_

 _"Whatever. Don't talk so loud." She blew me off._

 _"But I'm not talking loud." I commented still confused as to why she was acting like this._

 _"You know what, Spencer? If you're gonna argue with me, you can just leave because I don't feel up to dealing with that." She told me. "But if you want to help you can get me something to get rid of this headache. And some toast too with no butter and grape jelly lightly and evenly spread."_

 _"Why don't you feel up to it? You certainly feel up to snapping at me and being the grumpiest person in the world." I told her._

 _"I have several perfectly legitimate reasons for being this way." She stated._

 _"Oh, I can't wait to hear what they are." I said sarcastically._

 _"First, I'm hungover so you have to be nice to me regardless of how I'm acting."_

 _"That's not a reason. And if you want someone to baby you and make your toast perfectly until you get over your hangover you called the wrong person. Get Caleb on the phone and tell him to get his butt over here." I stated._

 _"I can't call Caleb. He's the reason I'm hungover. And again, don't talk so loud." She told me._

 _"What do you mean?" I asked not expecting her to say that._

 _"Last night we got in an argument about the wedding plans. We both yelled a lot and said things we didn't mean. Or at least I didn't mean them anyway. And afterwards I drove to some bar and got super drunk. I barely even remember getting a taxi home last night."_

 _"Hanna, I'm sorry. I had no idea." I shook my head._

 _"Of course you didn't. Who expects me, the girl who's always happy, crazy, and never serious, to get in a fight with her fiancé and then drink the night away?" She snapped._

 _"Hanna, you and Caleb argue all the time. Remember last week when you got into an argument over who drinks more soda? Caleb will come over after work and it'll be like last night didn't happen." I assured her._

 _"But I'm not talking about stupid little arguments over who loves who more, or whether or not this outfit makes me look fat. This was a huge fight like the one you and Toby had in junior year after he broke his arm. I'm scared he's gonna call off the engagement." She told me and started crying a little._

 _"Hanna, Caleb would never do that." I said, handing her a box of tissues. "He loves you no matter what, no matter how big the argument. I thought I'd never speak to Toby again after our fight, but we eventually got back together."_

 _"That's because you and Toby are so meant for each other."_

 _"And you and Caleb are meant for each other too." I told her leaving no room for argument. "Now, I'll go get you something for your headache, and try to make your toast the way you want it. After that you can take a shower and I'll stay around so you don't drown your sorrows in alcohol again."_

 _Once I realized Hanna called me over to help her with her hangover I intended to give her some tough love. But now that I knew about her fight with Caleb, I couldn't do that to her. So I decided to be sympathetic and do whatever crazy thing she wanted. But by the time I left I couldn't remember the last time I had felt so exhausted._

 _When Toby got home I told him about Hanna and Caleb. We were both concerned but figured it was only a matter of time until they made up. And after a week or so they did decide to make up. But who would have guessed that to avoid another fight, they would also decide to elope and skip wedding planning?_

* * *

"Hey, you're finally awake." Toby said as he walked into our bedroom.

"Toby? You should have left for the store…" I asked and then paused to look at the time. "You should've left forty minutes ago."

"Advantages of being the owner." He smirked and then handed me a glass. "Drink that, you'll feel better."

Usually I would argue when he would take a day off to take care of me. But I knew it was pointless.

"Thank you. Could you do a favor for me and close the curtains?" I asked him and he nodded.

"So, do you think you'll be up to going to class?" He asked me as he sat down next to me.

"I don't have a choice. But I should be semi-alright when I leave in forty-five minutes" I told him.

"Okay, but let me know if you need anything."

"Don't I always?" I laughed a little. "You've done more than enough this morning already."

"And don't forget last night." He added and I just shook my head.

"Don't remind me."

"You weren't that bad." He told me and kissed my cheek and then my lips.

"Why are you still with someone that gets as crazy as I do when I'm intoxicated?" I asked him.

"One, even at your worst you're not as insane as Hanna. And second, I love you no matter what." He told me and I smiled.

"I love you too, even if that was really cheesy." I laughed and then kissed him.

The next forty-five minutes were spent making out, among other things. And I ended up running a little late for class. But spending some intimate time with Toby was always worth it.

* * *

 **Hey I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Is Jenna just trying to scare them or is this a real threat? Will Jennna send Garrett after them or will she carry out her threat personally? And who liked Hanna yelling at Caleb about the beer?**

 **Just want to say thank you for the reviews (You are amazing, keep them coming!) and let you know that I'll send sneak peeks out at 50 reviews. Next chapter Jason will finally be back so there will be lots of laughs of course. But he also has some news to share. Will it be good or bad?**


	12. Chapter 12

When it came time to close the store and go home, I couldn't have been happier. Hanna and Mona came in on their lunch breaks and played April fool's jokes on me, as did a few of the guys that help me out. I guessed being picked on in high school made me weary of all pranks.

I walked up to the stairs to loft and felt like something was off. Then I noticed the lights were on and I could see a shadow moving around in the kitchen. I had put Jenna's threat from a few weeks ago in the back of my mind and hardly thought about it. But now I wondered if she had finally found a way to escape and get her revenge.

Scared as I was I decided to walk inside and get this over with. I was suddenly really glad that Spencer was out of town and I was the only Jenna could hurt. I took a step inside and was suspicious when I didn't see anyone. But the kitchen table was set with flowers, candles, and a tablecloth for special occasions. And I was pretty sure I smelled Spencer's lasagna in the oven.

I was still staring at the table when I heard high heels coming down the stairs and I jumped. I heard someone quietly laughing behind me, and I would have jumped again, but I recognized that laugh. It was one of my favorite sounds in the world. I quickly turned around and there was Spencer in a black and white dress, black heels, and her hair half up half down.

"Spencer? Did you do all this?" I asked and pointed back to the kitchen.

"Yep," She nodded and smiled.

"But how? You're supposed to be in New York."

"April fool's." She told me as she gave me a hug and a kiss.

"Wow, you got me." I laughed in relief that this was Spencer's planning and not Jenna's. "But isn't this a little fancy for an April fool's joke?"

"I know I just had spring break. And we had an amazing week in Cape May, relaxing, looking for things to do on our honeymoon outside the hotel, and spending tons of time together. But I miss it. So I decided to recreate it a little and make a romantic dinner." She explained.

"I know how you feel. And for the record, I completely agree with your decision." I told her and I gave her a long kiss.

"Especially if it means I get to eat that lasagna that's in the oven." I joked when we broke apart for air.

"You know, sometimes I think you love my cooking more than you love me." She said as she took it out of the oven.

"That's not true, Spencer." I laughed.

"If it's not true then prove it." She stated with hands on her hips.

"Spencer Jill Hastings, soon to be Spencer Cavanaugh, I love you more than anything in the world." I stated and wrapped my arms tightly around her and gave her a kiss she wouldn't forget.

"Okay, you convinced me." She said trying to catch her breath.

After she caught her breath she cut a few slices of lasagna and we enjoyed our candlelight dinner. I made sure to compliment her as well as the food so she wouldn't think I liked it more than her. When we finished we moved to the couch. Our original intent was to watch a movie but we ended up getting distracted. So distracted neither of us heard the front door open.

"Hey, Spence…Whoa!"

"Jason!?" Spencer shot up from the couch. "This better not be some stupid April fool's joke. Because if it…"

"It's not I swear. Believe or not, it's usually not my intention to walk in on the two of you." He held his hands up in surrender.

"Then why can't you learn to knock?" She asked him.

"What's the point of knocking when I have a key?" He shrugged.

Spencer looked like she was gonna yell at him again. But I budded in before things got worse.

"Spence, calm down, I'll change the locks tomorrow if you want." I told her and then turned to Jason. "What brings you here, Jason?"

"I found something out today that I thought you might want to know." He told us.

"What's that?" Spencer asked, still a little irritated with him.

"It's a long story. And I haven't eaten yet and I'm smelling lasagna. Mind if I eat first?"

"Seriously, Jason?" She yelled at him. "You know what fine, help yourself."

"Don't worry, I'm a fast eater." Jason smirked as he made himself at home in the kitchen.

"Why don't you talk while you eat?" I asked him. "It might save your life."

"Actually, I don't think it will." He shook his head. "Look you two looked like you were having a good time when I came in and I don't want to ruin that."

"You kind of already did, Jason." Spencer stated sarcastically.

"Yeah but if I left right now you'd probably go back to what you were doing. If I tell you what I found out, that won't happen and you'll spend the rest of the night worrying." He told us.

"Worrying about what?" We both asked him.

"So, Toby, has your best man made any plans for your bachelor party?" He totally changed the subject.

"No, Caleb hasn't said anything. But that's because I'm not a big fan of all that stuff." I shook my head.

"Are you just saying that because my sister is sitting right next to you?" He teased.

"I am not just saying that because Spencer is right there." I rolled my eyes.

"Good answer, Cavanaugh." He nodded. "I'd hate to have to yell at you like I did a few years back."

* * *

 _I was working in the back room of my furniture store when I heard someone walk in. I looked up to see Jason and if looks could kill I'd be dead._

 _"Jason, what can I do for you?" I asked, feeling a little nervous._

 _"You can give me some answers." He stated and folded his arms across his chest. "Like why the hell would you cheat on Spencer?"_

 _"What!?" I asked completely shocked by what he said. "I never…"_

 _"Save it." He interrupted. "There is no way to justify what you did! Spencer loves you more than anything and doesn't deserve to be hurt like this!"_

 _"What are you talking about? I love Spencer and would never do that!"_

 _"I'm talking about you flirting with two different women at a bar in Bucks County, and disappearing for half an hour after following one of them into the back." He accused._

 _"Who told you that?"_

 _"I don't know if I'm happy you're not denying it or if it just makes me angrier?" He asked himself rhetorically._

 _"That's not what I'm saying. I just want to know who told you such an outrageous lie." I clarified._

 _"It doesn't matter!" He shouted. "What matters is what I'm about to tell you. If you didn't want to be with Spencer anymore you should've broken up with her, not go behind her back. I wouldn't have liked it but I might've understood. This I can't understand or let go."_

 _"I don't want to break up and I didn't go behind her back. Just let me explain." I argued._

 _"Explain? Let me explain something to you. Whenever you two argued or had a little break up, I'd encourage Spencer to talk to you and try to fix things. When you were friends and Ali gave you crap about it, I defended you. And I've never been sorry that I did those things. Until today."_

 _"Jason, I appreciate all you've done for us." I told him trying to keep things as calm as possible. "And I know you're just sticking up for your sister. But you've got this all wrong. Spencer and I have been dating for four years. Heck we just celebrated our anniversary two weeks ago. Why would I throw it all down the drain?"_

 _"That's what I'd like to know." He stated._

 _"Me and another guy were delivering furniture to someone in Bucks County. It was a long drive and a lot of work so my partner suggested we stop for some drinks before heading back."_

 _"Skip to the part where you went up to some girl and started flirting with her."_

 _"The first girl came up to me." I clarified. "She had been staring at the guy next to me for an hour. She was just flirting with me to get his attention so I played along. It lasted five minutes maximum and it didn't mean a thing."_

 _"What about the second girl?" He demanded._

 _"That wasn't flirting. I met her when I was taking that carpentry class. She wanted to know if I got my store going. It was innocent catching up. And I went out the back when I was walking her to her car that was a couple blocks away." I explained. "And in case you're wondering, I already told Spencer."_

 _"Spencer knows?"_

 _"Yes." I nodded. "Now, who told you that I was cheating on Spencer?"_

 _"A girl I work with, her name's Meredith something. She was at that bar that night."_

 _"Meredith? As in Meredith Sorenson?" I asked him and he nodded. "Jason, she taught at Rosewood High the girls' senior year. And Aria's dad also had two affairs with her. She's had it out for the girls ever since they got her fired from the school. And last year, she photo-shopped a picture of Ezra kissing her and sent it to Aria."_

 _"I fell for her set-up. I'm such an idiot!" He yelled at himself._

 _"I don't think you completely fell for it. She probably intended for you to tell Spencer first." I pointed out._

 _"I'm really sorry man. But I'm super glad I came to you first instead of upsetting Spencer for nothing. Although she might have laughed at me for overreacting since she already knew the real story." He shook his head and apologized._

 _"Yeah, she probably would have. But nobody can blame you for looking out for your sister. I'd probably do the same thing if I were you." I told him. "Now, how about we forget about this and you join me and Spence for dinner."_

 _"I'd be happy to." He nodded._

* * *

"Alright, you're done. Now what do you have to tell us?" Spencer asked as she put Jason's plate in the sink.

"I took Jay to the eye doctor today. He's been rubbing his eyes and squinting a lot. Well, I overheard that his doctor volunteers at several different prisons and gives the prisoners eye exams and stuff. I also heard the name Marshall mentioned. So I did some snooping and I think I know why Jenna is suddenly making threats." Jason told us and then paused.

"Well, get to the point." Spencer demanded.

"Jenna's losing her sight." He answered quietly.

I was shocked by his news and Spencer looked like she had seen a ghost.

"How long before she's blind again?" I asked after a minute of silence to take it in.

"Two months maybe three." He shrugged.

"Will she have another surgery?" Spencer asked and I could hear the fear in her voice.

"The doctor doesn't think it'll do her any good. I'm sorry, Spence." He told her.

"It's not your fault, Jason." She shook her head. "I'm glad you told us. If you'll excuse me a minute, I need to use the bathroom."

She practically ran out of the kitchen but not before I saw a few tears escape. I knew why she was so upset and so did Jason. If Jenna was losing her sight then there was a possibility that Spencer could lose hers as well. I honestly didn't care about Jenna, but I did care about Spencer. I'd stay by her side no matter what she was going through, but I sincerely hoped that she wouldn't have to go through this again.

* * *

 **Really sorry about the ending :( But you'll know soon what's gonna happen to Spencer. I hope you still enjoyed seeing Jason, especially the flashback part. And that you enjoyed having this from Toby's POV. I thought it was about time we saw from him again. And part of next chapter will also be written in Toby's POV. Thanks for reading and remember you get a sneak peek when this hits 50 reviews. See you soon!**


	13. Chapter 13

SPENCER POV

I should have been studying since finals were coming up in a few weeks but I couldn't concentrate on anything. All I could do was think about the appointment with my eye doctor yesterday.

She could tell my eyes were fine, for now. I had another appointment in a few weeks just to be sure. Toby took this as good news but I was dreading the weeks to come. What if something happened to me between now and the next few weeks?

"Hey, Spencer, I thought you went out with the girls?" Toby said as he came into the bedroom.

Toby left a few hours ago to get some errands done he had been too busy to get done. I told him that I'd be right behind him because the girls wanted to go shopping.

"Hanna wasn't feeling up to it. We'll go next weekend." I told him.

"Have you been sitting here the whole time?" He asked as he knelt down in front of me.

"No, I tried studying for a little bit." I shrugged.

"Is this about your eyes?" He asked and I nodded. "Spencer, you're gonna be fine."

"You can't know that!"

"Yes, I do. You're Spencer Hastings; you're too stubborn to let anything get the best of you." He stated and I rolled my eyes.

"Be serious, Toby."

"I am. You didn't let being blind stop you when you were fifteen. There's no reason for it to stop you if it happens again."

"But it wouldn't be like last time. Not even close!"

"You're right." He nodded. "Last time, I couldn't be there for you when it happened. But I'm not going anywhere, Spencer. There's not anything or anyone that can take me away from you."

"I love you, Toby." I whispered and threw my arms around his neck.

"I love you too, Spence. Everything's gonna be alright." He replied as he rubbed my back as a comforting gesture.

* * *

"Spencer, Toby, I'm so glad you made it." My mom greeted us when we came in.

"Of course, Mrs. Hastings, we wouldn't miss it." Toby told her.

"Hey, Spencer!" Melissa called out as she came down the steps.

"Hi, Aunt Spence!" Taylor waved.

"Hey!" I tried to smile convincingly.

"How are you doing?" Melissa asked me.

"I'm good." I told her hoping she wouldn't ask anymore question.

I didn't want anyone to know what was going on, I hadn't even told the girls. Toby and Jason were the only ones that knew and I wanted to keep it that way. I didn't want them to worry about or pity me.

"Is Dad here?" I asked to get the attention off myself.

"No, but that's fine with me. He wasn't in a good mood this morning so he'd probably just be negative all evening." My mom told us.

"Figures," I mumbled under my breath.

* * *

"Alright who's ready for dessert?" My mom asked about two hours later.

"Me is!" Taylor shouted excitedly.

"It's I am, Sweetie." Melissa corrected her. "I'll help you, Mom."

"Sorry I couldn't be here for dinner." My dad said to everyone as he walked in, but I doubted he meant it.

"It's alright, as long as the meeting with the client went well." Melissa told him.

"Yes, it went very well. And you'll never guess who I ran into." He said as he set him briefcase down. "It was Spencer's eye doctor. She was visiting a friend here in Rosewood. And she told me that Spencer had an appointment with her recently."

"Yeah, I went to her yesterday. It was just the normal annual appointment." I told him feeling nervous.

"But I thought you had your annual appointment a few months back?" Melissa pointed out.

"I did, but…" I tried and failed to come up with an explanation.

"But there's nothing wrong double checking." Toby finished for me. "Spencer was a little concerned something might be wrong. But turns out it was just eye strain. The doctor just told her to taking a break from reading on laptops and other electronics."

"I know, give me a hardback book over an e-book any day." My mom commented.

"Toby, make sure Spencer relaxes the weekend and doesn't read too much." Melissa told him.

"What you don't trust me?" I demanded playfully.

"It's not that. I just know how you are. You intend to relax but find a million things to do and worry about. Especially since your finals are coming up and so is your wedding." She replied hitting the nail on the head.

All I'd been doing lately was worrying. I worried about Jenna, Garrett, wedding plans, my eye sight. You name it.

"I'll make sure she takes a break." Toby assured both my mom and Melissa.

Thankfully the subject was changed. And I was relieved when we finally left.

* * *

TOBY POV

"Thanks for covering for me tonight." Spencer sighed as we walked inside the loft. "I had no idea what to say when Melissa noticed something was up."

"You're welcome." I told her. "But it wouldn't be the end of the world if they knew."

"Can we not talk about this anymore?"

"Sure," I nodded. "How about we watch a movie? Caleb loaned me a new movie that both of us should like. It's on top of the dresser."

Once she was far enough away I got to work. I opened up the cabinets and a moved a few things until I found what I was looking. I took the coffee cake I had bought earlier today and placed it on the kitchen table. Then I went looking for a candle and a match.

"Toby, I couldn't find the movie. Are you sure you… What's this?" She asked as she stared at the cake. "My birthday was two days ago. And I turned twenty-two not one."

"It's not a birthday cake. But it's still to celebrate. One year ago today, I proposed to you. And you said yes, making me the happiest man alive." I told her.

"Oh my…I…I am so sorry. I can't believe I didn't realize. I've been so worried and self-centered the last twenty-four hours."

"Hey, it's okay. I didn't do this to make you feel bad. I just wanted to cheer you up a bit." I hugged her. "You remember what I said when I proposed? I still mean it, every last word."

* * *

 _'This is it.' I thought to myself as I flipped the breaker to shut off the power._

 _I was finally gonna propose to Spencer. I wanted to for a long time. But she wanted to wait until after college and I didn't want her to feel like I was rushing her. Plus it took some time to find the perfect way to ask._

 _Caleb suggested proposing on her birthday but that would be expected by Spencer and the other girls. But who would expect a proposal two days after their birthday when everything's worn off and you're back to your normal routine?_

 _Spencer was annoyed when the power went out and blamed it on the storm. She went to get matches while I got candles. Not only did I get the candles but I also got the special Scrabble board. The one I made for Spencer back in high school when she was still blind. My plan was to recreate the night before our first kiss._

 _"Wanna play a game?" I asked her. "We can't finish the movie anyway."_

 _"Just let me change into something more comfortable." She agreed after wondering if the candles would provide enough light._

 _"I think I'll change too." I said and then ran ahead of her into the bedroom._

 _I went to my nightstand and grabbed the ring box, as well as a special Scrabble tile, out of the secret spot inside. I shoved it in my pocket then grabbed my old blue shirt, which Spencer had stolen, from her drawer and a pair of pants from mine._

 _When she came in I asked her the question that I always did and she always gave me a shocked look. She laughed as she teased me about being so sentimental, but then admitted it was one of the things she loved about me. That led to a kiss and then to making out for several minutes before going back to the living room to play Scrabble._

 _Spencer took the lead but I was never far behind. But I was shocked when she announced that 207 points be add to her score. What word had she come up with? She told me what her word was and exactly how it added up to 207 points. I couldn't argue with her and she had a smug look when I finally wrote down her score. But I didn't care if I lost this game, as long as my plan worked._

 _"Shoot!" I said as I placed my word on the board._

 _I could tell she wanted to laugh, thinking that would be my word. But really I had thrown the special tile a couple feet from her. I told her which one I'd supposedly lost and then we began looking for it._

 _"Hey, Toby," She said a few minutes later. "I think I found…"_

 _I saw as she looked at the tile in her hand. She flipped it over to the other side where I had carved 'Will You Marry Me?' into it._

 _"Spencer, I love you." I said as I got up to stand beside her. "You were my friend when nobody else was. Thinking about you kept me going when I was away. You've been there for me through so much. And I want to experience everything that happens in my life, with you."_

 _I paused and reached into my pocket for the ring. Then I got down on knee in front of her._

 _"We've had six years together as a couple and as friends. I want to spend more amazing years with you, all the years for the rest of my life. Spencer Jill Hastings, will you marry me?" I asked her._

 _I stared at her beautiful face, amazing brown eyes, and long flowing brown hair while she stared at the ring in my hand. It felt like a million years had passed before she answered._

 _"Yes," She finally said, blinking back tears._

 _I sighed in relief and a felt tears welling up as placed the ring on her left ring finger. I looked at her again, this time I wasn't looking at my girlfriend. I was looking at my fiancé, my wife-to-be._

 _"I love you so much." I whispered to her as I leaned in to kiss her._

* * *

"You told me that I was there for you through so much. And you wanted to experience everything that happens in your life with me." She recalled with perfect memory.

"That's right. But now it's your side. Whatever you experience or go through, I'm gonna be there with you. I wish it wouldn't happen, but if you lose your sight again, I'll always be right beside you."

"Toby, this is my problem not yours. You don't need to feel obligated…"

"Spencer, stop right there." I interrupted her. "I have never ever felt obligated to be with you, not even when you went blind in the fire. And it's not just your problem. We share and do things together. That's what couples, what a husband and wife do."

"You still want to marry me even if…" She asked me and I couldn't believe that she did.

"Of course I still want to!" I insisted. "That doesn't matter to me. You have the most beautiful brown eyes of anyone I've ever known. Whether you can see or not doesn't change that. Nothing can change how amazing you are or how much I love you."

"I just want you to be sure. I don't want you to look back and regret anything." She whispered and leaned her head on my shoulder.

"I'm positive, Spencer. I am exactly where I need to be." I stated and placed a kiss on top of her head.

* * *

 **Thank you everyone for your reviews! You are amazing! What did you think of the flashback? Yes, Toby did make the power go out ;) And everything is okay with Spencer, for now. How do you think the others will react if Spencer ever gets around to telling them? Let me know what you think and next chapter we'll see some Spanna and the rest of the girls too, even Emily and Maya.**


	14. Chapter 14

I stood in the doorway and watched as Toby put the last couple of things in his suitcase.

"Toby, you don't have to leave." I told him for the hundredth time.

"Yeah, I do, Spence." He sighed.

"But…"

"No buts, I have to do this. I won't be gone long."

"Then at least let me come with you." I begged.

"We talked about this, Spence, you can't. This is going to be hard enough and having you there might make things worse." He told me and I knew he was right.

Yesterday morning it was announced that Garrett had escaped and that Jenna was missing. Not only could they not find Jenna, but someone had hacked their computers and all her files were erased. As far as computers and databases went, Jenna Marshall had never stepped foot in jail.

Last night Toby and I were talking. The police didn't know where Jenna was headed but we did. She was heading here. But Toby thought she might visit his stepmom first and if he could catch her there before she came to Rosewood we'd all be safer. I had to admit it made sense but it was risky. There was a risk involved with anything concerning Jenna.

"You're not changing your mind are you?" I asked, once again for the hundredth time, and he shook his head. "Fine, call me when you there. And…"

"And stay safe, I know." He laughed. "But you need to listen to yourself. I won't be gone long and I want you to be in one piece when I come back."

"I'll be fine. Mona's gonna stay over this weekend and I'll be with the others a lot." I assured him and he nodded.

"I love you and I'll call when I can." He told me and gave me a kiss goodbye.

"I love you too." I said and gave him a kiss as well.

* * *

I spent my day going from class to class and studying in the evening. I kept busy so I didn't miss Toby too much. But at night I got bored so I headed over to Hanna and Caleb's.

"Hey, Spencer, Hanna's upstairs in the bedroom." Caleb told me when he let me in.

"Is she okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, she's just folding some laundry, which will lead to her completely rearranging the closet." He rolled his eyes and I laughed.

"I'll go see if I can help." I said as I headed for the bedroom, still laughing.

"Come in," Hanna shouted when I knocked on the door.

"Hey, it's me." I announced as I walked in.

"Hey, Spence, what brings you here? Did you see the news? Never mind, I don't care why you're here. I have to show you this new maternity dress I got. Have you heard from Emily lately? How's Toby? Is he…" She rambled on without stopping.

"Hanna!" I yelled to get her stop.

"Sorry, I'm just really, really worried right now. So I'm doing laundry, going through the closet, and rambling to distract myself." She sighed and plopped down on the bed.

"Don't worry, I know what you mean. That's actually why I'm here, to distract myself from missing Toby and worrying about him too much." I told her as I sat down on the bed as well. "So, what's got you worried? I haven't seen you like this since you thought you were going into labor but it was really just Braxton Hicks."

"Have you seen the news?"

"No, the past twenty-four hours has been all about Jenna so I stopped paying attention." I shook my head.

"Oh yay, I get to be the one to tell you." She said with heavy sarcasm. "Garrett was spotted in Philly this afternoon getting on a bus. I can't remember where it was headed though but it wasn't far from here."

"I wouldn't worry about Garrett. If he was stupid enough to be spotted in Philly, I'm sure it'll be easy for the police to catch him before he gets here." Caleb commented as he came in with tea for Hanna and coffee for me.

"Thanks," I said grabbing my coffee from him. "It could be stupidity. Or it could be his plan. Get spotted so we know he's coming. Focus on him and forget about Jenna so she can sneak up on us."

"Maybe," Caleb shrugged. "Has Toby gotten anything from his dad or stepmom?"

"He called from a gas station a mile or so from their house, maybe an hour ago. He probably won't get much, if anything, from them. They both know what Jenna did but still choose to help her out and treat her like a golden child." I told him.

"I guess waiting is all we can do for now." Caleb sighed.

"I hate waiting." Hanna pouted. "And I hate Jenna for escaping to get revenge."

"You're not the only one." I told her. "Let's get back to distracting ourselves; you still have to show me that dress you got."

"I am out of here!" Caleb stated. "I'll be watching the basketball game if you need me."

Hanna showed me the maternity dress as well as the guestroom which they were turning into a nursery. Caleb painted the room brown so Hanna could have a brown and pink theme for a girl or a brown and green theme for a boy. They had a few things in there already, like a crib and a dresser, but the room would probably be full after Hanna had her shower in two weeks. Hopefully this mess with Jenna and Garrett was cleaned up by then.

"It's really coming along, Han. And the baby will be here before we know it." I said as we left the nursery and went back to her room.

"I'm ready for this baby to be out now. I don't want to imagine what it'll be like in a few more weeks. I can barely get out of a chair by myself. And this baby loves to kick." She told me rubbing her very pregnant belly.

"Have you thought of any baby names?" I asked her.

"The middle name will be Jamie, after Caleb's dad."

"That's really nice, and it works for either a boy or girl." I commented.

"Yep, and the first name will be Tyler if it's a boy, just because we like the name." She told me.

"What about for a girl?"

"We haven't fully decided yet, but I've been thinking about the name Alicia. It would sort of be after Ali." She said hesitantly.

"I like those names. And I'm sure Ali would be thrilled if she was alive." I told her.

"As much trouble as she caused, and all the stuff she put us and others through, I still don't want to forget her. No matter what the baby is, I'll tell them about Ali when they're older and hopefully they'll understand why it's so important not to bully or be a brat. You know, history repeats itself when we forget the past and don't learn from it."

"When did you become so wise and thoughtful?" I couldn't help but tease.

"I really have no idea. Maybe it's maternal instincts." She shrugged with a laugh.

"Maybe," I shrugged as well. "But whatever the reason, I think you're right. We should make sure our kids know about Alison. I don't want them to go through what we did. And it'll help them be cautious of who they're friends with."

"Yeah, and hopefully they won't have to deal with awful nicknames like Hefty Hanna, Loser Mona, and Freak Toby, when they get to high school." She nodded. "Ugh, my kid isn't even born yet and I'm talking about high school. Please change the subject, even if you have to mention the time we got food poisoning from that restaurant in New York."

"No way, I do not want to remember that!" I cringed. "How about I mention the time we surprised Emily up in Connecticut?"

* * *

 _I turned down the road the Maya told us and thankfully the apartment building was easy to find. Now all we had to do was wait for the signal._

 _"Okay, I got the text from Maya. Emily just left through the side door. So if we go through the main door we should be clear." Hanna told us._

 _"Hey, I'm glad you're here!" Maya greeted us. "Emily is gonna be thrilled!"_

 _"Yeah, we are too. We miss her a lot." Aria added._

 _"I miss you too and I know that Emily really does. But speaking of Emily, she's only going to gone two hours so let's get to work with this surprise party." Maya stated and we started setting up._

 _By the time Emily came home the apartment was decorated and we had all found hiding spots. Mona and I were behind the couch, Hanna was in the closet, Aria was behind the coat rack, and Maya was crouched down next to the TV._

 _"Hey, Maya, I'm back." Emily announced as she walked in. "Maya?"_

 _"Surprise!"_

 _"What on…Oh my goodness! You're really here!? I have missed you so much!" Emily said in shock and we had a group hug._

 _"Yep, we're here and we are gonna celebrate." Hanna stated._

 _"Not that I'm complaining, but what are we celebrating?" Emily asked as we went into the kitchen to get drinks._

 _"Duh, you just finished the semester. Now, you've been here a whole year, you've gotten the going away to college thing over with, and you come back home to Rosewood." Hanna explained._

 _"It's great to see you. And I appreciate this. I do. And I'm still coming home for the summer." Emily said slowly, trying to figure out the right words._

 _"But…" Mona prodded._

 _"But I won't be staying in Rosewood." She told us. "Don't get me wrong, I miss you guys a lot. But I like living here, the college is great, and I love my job at the aquarium. I'm really sorry."_

 _"Don't be. We miss you when you're all the way up here, but we get it. If you're happy here then good for you and we're happy for you." Aria stated._

 _"Yeah, and if you're coming back here in the fall then just we have to have an extra good time with you this summer." I stated._

 _"Exactly, and starting with this party. Cheers to having a great summer with Emily and Maya!" Hanna said excitedly._

 _"Cheers!" We echoed her toast._

 _"And don't forget about what happens after the party." Mona added._

 _"What's happening?" Emily asked._

 _"You know how we were planning to leave for Rosewood in two days?" Maya asked and she nodded. "Well, we won't be going to Rosewood."_

 _"Why not?" Emily asked her totally confused._

 _"Because we're going on a road trip!" Hanna announced. "It's been five years since last time so it's high time we had another one. And this time Maya gets to come."_

 _"Seriously? You guys are the best-est best friends ever!" Emily told us with a huge smile._

 _"Yeah, and I can't wait to go on a road trip with you crazy people." Maya agreed._

 _"Oh, if you think we're crazy now you'll think we're totally mad and out of our minds by the time the trip is over." I warned and we all laughed because it was probably true._

* * *

I left eventually and went back to home. The first I did was call Toby. I ended up getting his voicemail.

"Hey, it's me. I miss you. I went to Hanna's and both Hanna and Caleb want you to kick Jenna's butt if you find her. I'm home now and really tired so I'm just gonna shower then go to bed. But I wanted to call you first and maybe hear your voice and see how things were going. I guess I'll just talk to you tomorrow. Goodnight and stay safe. I love you."

Once I got out of the shower I put on Toby's shirt. I decided to sleep on his side of the bed tonight as I plugged in my phone. When I did I noticed a new text from about fifteen minutes ago.

 **Sorry I missed your call. I'll call tomorrow I promise! I really miss you too and love you so much! Goodnight beautiful -T**

I smiled and sent a quick reply; saying he better call and again that I loved him. Then I fell asleep and dreamed he was here with me instead of miles away looking for his literal evil stepsister.

* * *

 **Hey readers! I wasn't planning on updating today, but I figured Monday's suck (especially with all the rain on the East Coast) so why not make it a little better with a new chapter. And hopefully some reviews ;)**

 **Really sorry Toby had to leave, but he'll be back soon don't worry. And next chapter you'll hear from him when he calls Spencer and he'll be seen in a flashback. BTW what do you think of Hanna's baby names? And do you think it'll be a boy or girl?**


	15. Chapter 15

The next day I talked to Toby on the phone and told me what was going on. Not that there was much to talk about. His dad and stepmom hadn't had any contact with Jenna since they mailed that letter to Toby, supposedly. But we both found it convenient that his stepmom was out of town.

After that I went downstairs to get some coffee from the Brew. I sat on one of the couches with my coffee and book.

"Hey, Spencer," I heard someone greet me and looked up to see Mona.

"Hey, you're early. Are you that excited to start our murder mystery marathon weekend?" I teased.

"Actually, I'm right on time." She told me. "Let me guess, you got lost in that book and you have no clue what time it is."

"You guessed correctly." I laughed. "Do you want to get some coffee and then head upstairs?"

"I already got coffee while I was waiting to see if you would notice me."

"Sorry, I don't know what's with me. Actually, I do. But it would take a million years to explain." I told her.

"Don't worry." She shook her head. "I get it."

* * *

"Ugh, I cannot believe that! I mean the dog walker, really? When an attractive million is killed you don't think the dog walker did it just to keep the dog for himself since it was a really rare breed." Mona ranted after we finished our second murder mystery movie.

"Yeah, I like dogs but not that much." I shook my head and we laughed at how ridiculous it was.

"I think I need a break before watching the next one." She stated.

"Just let me use the bathroom and then I'll grab some takeout menus." I nodded.

"Sure, and I'll just check my email." Mona agreed.

"This is so annoying!" I heard Mona groan when I came back.

"What now?" I laughed.

"This stupid email, my custom setting got reset. And the most annoying thing is the dates. Instead of the numbers being month then date, it's now date then month." She told me.

"Wait so, April 21st which is 4-21 is now 21-4?" I asked to make sure I was getting it.

"Yeah and it's driving me insane but I don't have time to fix it right now." She sighed. "Come on let's go get some food."

"What are you in the mood for? And my treat." I offered.

"Are you sure? You don't have to, you know."

"Yeah, I want to. You're spending the weekend with me so I don't go crazy worrying about my fiancé and his wicked stepsister. So I owe you one and this is the least I can do."

"You don't owe me anything. I'm having fun. But thanks and I'm thinking Chinese takeout."

I went in the kitchen to get the number and place the order. After I hung up the calendar caught my eye. It had fallen off the wall so I put it back on the wall.

"Spencer, why are you staring at the calendar?" Mona asked me.

"There are five weeks in between getting the letter from Jenna and her escaping. Why wait that long after making a threat? There's significance to that date but I don't know what. Now I'm not sure what to think since you pointed out that dates can be arranged different ways." I told her.

"You'll figure it out. But first you need to eat something. I've witnessed both 'No Caffeine Spencer' and 'Low Blood-Sugar Spencer' and have no intentions of dealing with either of them this weekend." Mona stated firmly.

I nodded and sat down on the couch. When it was time to leave for the food Mona volunteered to pick it up. While she was gone I got a call from Toby.

"Hey, how you are?" I asked as soon as I answered.

 _'I'm alright. You?'_

"Good. Mona and I are having fun watching murder mysteries." I told him.

 _'The two of you should've become detectives.'_ I heard him laugh.

"Don't tease me, Toby Cavanaugh." I warned him playfully.

 _'I'm not teasing. But it is funny to watch you sit there and try to figure it out before they reveal the killer.'_

"Hey speaking of figuring things out…"

 _'My dad doesn't know where Jenna is and I think he's telling the truth. He'll never win a dad of the year award but he's never lied to me about anything. Not that I know of any way at least.'_

"Actually that wasn't what I was going to mention. But yeah, it's not surprising he doesn't know anything. Jenna most likely confided in your stepmom if she did at all."

 _'Yeah, but it'll be hard getting her to talk to me. She never was my biggest fan and that hasn't changed over the last seven, eight years. Wait, what were you going to mention?'_

I quickly explained to him what I had said to Mona about the date having meaning.

 _"Any idea what it could mean?" I asked him._

 _'Not that I know…wait Jenna got her sight back in April and on the twenty-first she went to see a play in Philly. I don't know if it means anything but Jenna wouldn't shut up about it. She kept saying how amazing it was to see a play and not just hear it, and that that was just the start of all the things she could do now.'_

"So you think she's going on a trip down memory lane? Or it means she can do whatever she wants and escaping prison was just the beginning."

 _'You never know with Jenna. That date could mean nothing but the numbers could. Like you said it could be 412 or 214.'_

"That's for sure. And thanks for adding a whole new list of possibilities for me to over think. I hadn't even thought of numbers yet." I sighed.

 _'Sorry, I was trying to help not add to the chaos. But hey, if Jenna's coming after you and me, then the number might be significant to us. And my number to the b…'_ He started to suggest when I heard another voice in the background.

 _'Hey, I'm really sorry but I got to go. I'll call you tomorrow and should hopefully be home Tuesday.'_ He apologized.

'It's not your fault." I told him and then changed the subject. "I love you."

 _'I love you too, Spence, bye.'_

As soon as he hung up it dawned on me that he never told me what the number was to. Great, another thing I had to figure out. Mona was right I need food before I did any more serious thinking.

"That was fast." I commented when Mona got back. "Thanks for picking it up."

"No problem." She said and handed me some chopsticks. "So what'd you do while I was out?"

"I talked to Toby. He gave me some insight. Then suggested it might not be the date that's significant but the number itself. He also said it might be significant to us and not Jenna."

"Does it mean anything to you?" Mona asked.

"He started to say that it was the number to something but then he had to suddenly get off the phone. I think it started with a 'B' though." I told her.

"His bank account, something to do with his business, a page in a certain book?" Mona suggested and I shook my head. "His mom loved Valentine's Day didn't she?"

"Yeah she…" I started to say as I remembered something.

"What?"

"Box," I stated and headed to the bedroom.

"I pride myself on my high IQ but I'm lost." I heard Mona say as she followed behind me.

* * *

 _"Hey, what are you doing?" I asked curiously._

 _I had been out with the girls and I came back to find Toby in the bedroom looking at some papers with a metal lockbox beside him._

 _"Oh it's nothing." He shrugged and didn't look up._

 _"I've never seen that before? Is it new?" I asked and pointed to the box._

 _"No, I've had it for a long time. And I keep it in the very back of the closet on the left side. That's probably why you've never seen it." He told me._

 _"So what made you take it out?"_

 _"I keep important papers and stuff in here. I was just adding some papers from the carpentry school."_

 _"Is this where you keep stuff that was your mom's?"_

 _"No, I keep that somewhere else." He shook his head and went over to the closet._

 _He came back with a medium sized wooden box that he probably made himself. It was stained a dark wood color and had a detailed pattern along the edges and you could see the lighter wood where he carved. A lot of work went into this and I understood why._

 _"It's beautiful, Toby." I told him._

 _"Thanks, I wanted something special to keep stuff that was my mom's. I have pictures, jewelry, birthday cards, and everything else in here." He said and as he spun the numbers to the right code to unlock it._

 _"214?"_

 _"My mom loved Valentine's Day. In her mind, you were supposed to show love to everyone on that day not just your significant other. She would bake cookies the night before and send them with me to school. All the kids loved them and so did the teachers. She took some girls she worked with that she knew didn't have a boyfriend out to lunch. She made me and my dad our favorites for dinner and dessert. And she always played something on her piano before I went to bed. I looked forward to Valentine's Day almost as much as my birthday and Christmas."_

 _"Wow, your mom really was an awesome person." I said and I kissed his cheek._

 _"She was." He nodded. "This started off as a place to keep things of hers but it's evolved over the years."_

 _"How so?"_

 _"Well, there are more than just pictures of my mom in here. There are some pictures of you and other things of yours too. And 214 wasn't always the code, it used to be her birthday. I changed it after when I kissed you outside Jason's apartment which was number 214."_

 _"Toby Cavanaugh, I thought you had gotten rid of this!" I yelled when I saw a really embarrassing picture._

 _"I told you I took it off the bookshelf. I never said I got rid of it." He laughed._

 _"I should make you sleep on the couch tonight." I stated and crossed my arms. "But I guess as long as it stays in there and no one else ever sees it I'll forgive you."_

 _"Thank you." He sighed in relief and then gave me a grateful kiss._

* * *

"So you think this has to do with Toby's mom somehow?" Mona asked once I finally explained to her.

"I might be wrong and it's just a coincidence. But Toby's mom meant a lot to him and her death..." I trailed off and shook my head. "What better way to hurt someone than to hit them where it hurts the most?"

"I can't imagine how he felt. But that will be nine years ago in October. No offense, but you mean a lot to Toby too. Wouldn't it be easier to go after you than to taunt him with his mom's death?"

"I don't know what Jenna's thinking. I don't think anybody does." I sighed. "I just hope Toby get hurt physically or emotionally."

"Hey, Spencer, I don't think this is a coincidence." Mona said as she handed me he tablet.

"Someone broke into Radley?" I gasped as I looked at the news article on the tablet.

"Not just someone, this has Garrett written all over it."

* * *

 **Sorry for all the exposition this chapter and if their theory might seem too crazy to be believable. But I needed a way to connect this to Marion so...yeah. Anyway next chapter has a little more fun and fluff ;) And Spencer tells someone the truth about her eyes and gets a surprise visit from someone. Who do you think that person(s) will be? Thanks for reading and don't forget to review. The ones from last time were much appreciated. Keep it up!**


	16. Chapter 16

Spencer POV

Two days later I went over to my parent's house. I was also staying overnight in my old room. It was one thing to know that Garrett was out and near Rosewood. But it was another thing to know that he was in Rosewood and was creeping around Radley. I wouldn't admit it but I was a little paranoid and I constantly looked over my shoulder. But thankfully Toby would be home tomorrow and I could feel a little safer again.

Hanna was also there too. We were having her baby shower in the barn next weekend and we were going over some last minute details.

"Spencer, you've been reading all day. I thought you were supposed to lay off the books." Melissa commented as she came back after putting Taylor to bed.

"I'm fine, Mel." I told her. "I want to read regular books while I have a chance."

The second part I mumbled too quietly for them to hear. Or so I thought.

"What was that?" Hanna asked me.

"Nothing," I shook my head in denial.

"No, it's not. And the fact that you're denying it is proof." Hanna stated.

"Hanna's right, Spence, you're not fine." Melissa agreed.

"Spill!" Hanna demanded.

"It really is nothing. I'm just being my usually self and worrying about something I shouldn't be." I tried to tell them but they weren't buying it.

"Spencer, I'm gonna count to three. And if you don't tell us what's bothering you, I'm gonna call Toby and have him tell us what's bothering you." Melissa stated.

"What makes you think Toby knows?" I asked trying to stall. "And I'm not Taylor; you can't threaten me by counting to three."

"How about I threaten you with this? Spill your guts or Toby is gonna get reacquainted with my pink furry lamp when he gets back tomorrow. They'll know each other so well they'll have cute little nicknames." Hanna threatened.

"Toby already has a nickname for that thing. And it is something I refuse to repeat." I told her.

"Alright, Spencer, quit stalling. If there's something wrong let us help." Melissa said. "Is this because of the Radley break in?"

The police still didn't know who was responsible. And if Melissa knew it was Garrett she would be out of town again faster than you could spit.

"No, it's not that, although I am concerned about it." I shook my head.

"Then what? I'm very pregnant and I have very little patience." Hanna stated. "I also have to use your bathroom very badly so make this quick."

"Jenna losing her sight and…"

"And that's why she broke out. Yeah, we already know that." Hanna interrupted.

"I got scared that the same thing might happen to me." I whispered barely loud enough to hear.

"What?" Hanna yelled.

"Is that the real reason you went to your eye doctor?" Melissa demanded and I nodded. "Well what did she say?"

"My eyes are fine and she didn't see anything that might be a problem. But she knows why I'm concerned so I have another appointment the day before the baby shower." I answered her.

"You're good, you're okay? Then why the hell are you worrying and scaring us?" Hanna asked.

"Because, Hanna, we don't know how this happened to Jenna. It could be sudden or gradual. I was fine at the first appointment but what if something changes between now and then?" I pointed out.

"Okay, I see your point." She admitted. "But you're fine now. If you find out things aren't okay next week you can worry about it then. But if you worry now you're putting yourself through a lot of unnecessary stress. It's like me freaking out because I'm afraid of how painful labor will be. I'm not in labor yet so I'm just needlessly worrying myself."

"I know that, Hanna. But I'm a Hastings." I told her.

"Why enjoy today when you can worry about tomorrow?" Melissa and I quoted together.

"Your family mottos are depressing." Hanna told us as she got up for the bathroom.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner, Spencer?" Melissa asked a minute later.

"It's not a sure thing so I didn't want anyone to worry." I shrugged.

"You didn't want anyone to worry except for yourself." She corrected me. "Why do you do that? Suffer in silence when there are plenty of people to help you get through something?"

"It's easier to pretend that everything's okay than to admit that it's not." I sighed. "As for people helping, I hate it when other people are worried or concerned about me. Like they don't have enough going on in their own lives?"

"Another thing you get from being a Hastings. I wonder if you'll get a whole new outlook on life when you get married and take Toby's last name." Melissa wondered and we both laughed a little. "But seriously, this is your friends and family we're talking about. It's not the bother you think it is for them to look out for you and comfort you. What would you do if this was Toby or Hanna?"

"If what was me or Toby?" Hanna asked when she came back.

"Spencer didn't tell anyone because she doesn't want anyone worrying about her. And I asked what she would do if you or Toby were in this situation." Melissa told her.

"I'd do what I could to comfort them as best as I could." I answered.

"Exactly, so let us do that for you. And I'd say don't worry about us worry about you, but you've already been doing plenty of that." Hanna stated. "Now, it's late and I don't know about you two but I'm beat. And I have a husband out home that is just waiting to give me a foot massage, so I'm gonna get going."

"Okay, Han, I'll talk to you tomorrow. And tell Caleb I said hi and to go a really good job on that massage." I told her while I helped her gather her stuff.

"Oh I will." Hanna smirked and then grabbed her things. "Thanks."

"Sure, and thank you for what you said. I'll tell the others tomorrow and I'll let you guys be comforting and supportive." I said and as we hugged.

"You better." She said trying to be serious but I could see the smile she did a bad job of hiding.

* * *

Not long after Hanna left, Melissa and I decided to crash for the night. But I just couldn't sleep. Around midnight I went down to the kitchen to make some tea that was supposed to help. I was getting the water from the sink when I saw a tree move outside followed by the sound of twigs snapping.

I flew into a panic and locked all the doors thinking Garrett or Jenna was coming after me. I turned off the light and hid behind the kitchen island with a knife. I heard the backdoor open, the only one I didn't have time to lock. I saw a pair of plain black shoes come into the kitchen but I couldn't see the face yet. But when I did I was surprised by who it was.

* * *

Toby POV

My stepmom finally came home on Sunday night, after I had gone to sleep of course. I thought it would take a while to get her to speak to me, since she blamed me as much as Jenna did, but she was surprisingly open. But I quickly realized why that was.

I was right; Jenna did make contact with her after escaping. She didn't even try to deny that Jenna was out for revenge. And she made it clear that Jenna had a master plan that wouldn't end well. Both Jenna and Garrett were killers and they wouldn't hesitant to do the same to Spencer and me. It was one thing to get a threat in the mail but it was another when someone said it to your face.

After hearing this I couldn't leave fast enough. I needed to get back to Spencer so I could protect her. But I did manage to find out two useful things from my stepmom. I got her to slip up and tell me that she had somehow gotten a fake ID for Jenna with the first name Brenna. And I found a receipt for blonde hair dye and a yellow tank top. I was never close to my stepmom but I knew she would never dream of dying her hair herself. She always went to a salon so that meant both were for Jenna.

It was around midnight when I finally got to Rosewood. Spencer had texted earlier and said she was at her parents place. And considering the time I probably should have waited until morning but I just couldn't. I had to make sure she was okay.

I walked around to the back and saw the lights on so somebody was still up and I hoped it was Spencer. In the darkness I tripped on a few fallen branches and seconds later the kitchen lights went dark. Great, now I had probably scared whoever was downstairs.

Luckily the door was still unlocked and I walked in slowly so I didn't make any more noise. I looked around to see if anyone was still downstairs and then I spotted her. Spencer was crouched behind the island with a knife in her hands and a terrified look.

"Toby?" She gasped and put the knife on the counter before running toward me. "What're you doing here? And don't scare me like that!"

"I had to see you." I told her as I wrapped my arms around her in a hug. "Other than me unintentionally scaring you right now, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She sighed in relief and tightened her grip around me. "I'm really glad you're here. And even though you scared me, I'm glad it was you and not…you know never mind."

"What?"

"It's nothing." She shook her head and changed the subject. "What are you doing here at midnight? You said you weren't getting back until later tomorrow."

"Things went better than I thought they would, in a way. My stepmom talked to me but what she had to say wasn't good. Jenna's not leaving us alone without a fight." I said trying to sum things up without worrying her too much.

"Yeah, I figured that." She nodded.

"So, I know you had plans to stay here for the night. But what do you think of coming back to the loft with me? I missed you too you know." I suggested.

"Do you really have to ask?" She smirked and then gave me a long kiss, trying to make up for lost time I guess.

"I take it that's your answer?" I laughed quietly so I didn't wake anyone up.

"Yeah, just let me leave a note so nobody panics in the morning and grab my purse." She said giving me a quick kiss.

A few minutes later she came back downstairs and wrote something on the fridge.

"Don't forget to lock the door." I told her as we walked out.

"Yes, sir." She replied and did as I suggested.

We both got in the truck and drove to the loft. Neither of us wanted to drive separately so we would get her car tomorrow.

"It is good to be home." I sighed when we walked through the door.

"After the past couple days you've had, I bet it is." She nodded. "And it's nice to finally have you home. In fact, I know it's late, but I'm up for celebrating. If you are that is?"

"Do you really have to ask?" I copied her from earlier and both of us laughed for a few seconds before my lips met hers.

* * *

 **Surprise surprise! Toby's back! How many of you are happy about that? I hope you enjoyed the little bit of Spoby at the end, and there will be lots more next chapter. Sorry about no flashback but I figured seeing Toby in the present was an even trade. Speaking of flashbacks let me know if you have any ideas, I always try my best to write them in. Well that's it. Thanks for reading this chapter and don't forget to leave a review ;) Have a great day everyone!**


	17. Chapter 17

I woke up the next morning and sensed I wasn't alone. Then I remembered that Toby had come home early and I smiled at memories of last night as I tightened my grip around him.

"Hey, you're finally awake." I heard Toby laugh.

"Morning," I yawned. "Why are you up so early?"

"Actually I'm not. You slept in." He told me.

"What!?" I asked suddenly sitting up and looking at the clock.

"Spencer, it's not against the law for a Hastings to sleep in once and a while." He said as he pulled me back down.

"But I can't sleep in on weekdays."

"Do you really think I'd let you oversleep and miss a class?"

"Yes!" I stated and crossed my arms.

"Okay, one time and you were too sick to get out of bed." He said defensively. "Now, you don't have any classes in the morning today. So, you have three choices on how you can spend your morning. One, go out for breakfast, two, stay in and we whip something up together, or three, my personal favorite, we bring some food up to the hill."

"All three sound amazing. But I have to agree that three is my favorite."

"Then let's do it. You can have the bathroom while I get the food." He said giving me a quick kiss before getting out of bed.

* * *

"I am really glad you suggested this. The weather is perfect." I stated when we got out of the car.

"Yeah, it is pretty nice. It rained when I went to see my dad." Toby commented.

"Did you talk to your dad a lot while you were waiting for your stepmom?" I asked curiously. He spent two and a half days with just his dad. They must've talked about something, right?

"Some," He shrugged. "He said he would come for the wedding but my stepmom wouldn't."

"I think it's good that he's coming. You might not be close, but a wedding just seems like something where all the family should be there. And I know you don't say it much, but you want him to be a little supportive of what you're doing."

"Yeah, but I hope it's a good thing and it doesn't turn into a disaster." He sighed.

"Hey, it can't be as bad as when we announced our engagement."

"You know, he actually apologized for that. I think he might be starting to see that Jenna and my stepmom are crazy. It was nice talking to him without them around. I can't remember the last time that happened. If my mom was still alive, it might have been like old times." He said like he really did enjoy it.

"You've told me that your dad wasn't always like this but I can never believe it." I shook my head.

"My parents loved each other a lot. When she died, he moved on by pretending that it never happened. But I did the opposite. I remembered what she was like before. The best nurse, a great mom, a good friend, that's who she really was, not the woman in Radley that committed suicide." He said looking down at his feet.

"I'm glad you didn't do the same thing as him. Your mom deserves to be remembered."

"Oh he still remembers her, I can tell. He has this look whenever she's mentioned. I know he misses her and maybe even still loves her. He said my mom would have been happy that I found someone and probably driven us crazy trying to help with the wedding plans."

"Now that is something I can believe." I nodded. "You know, this is definitely in my top three of favorite things to see."

"Top three? Wow, you must really love this place. I wonder why?" Toby teased.

"Oh you know why, Cavanaugh. You know why." I hinted as I took a seat on our rock.

* * *

 _I got home and Toby announced that he had made dinner plans. But first he took me to the hill. When we got to the top I saw a huge blanket, a picnic basket, wine glasses, and candles just waiting to be lit._

 _"Happy anniversary." Toby whispered in my ear._

 _"Thank you," I said and gave him a quick kiss. "But it's actually tomorrow you know."_

 _"Yes, and I kissed you outside Jason's apartment but before that we spent the night at the motel. And before that we came here." He stated._

 _"Wow most girls are lucky if the guy remembers the date. But you not only remember the date and everything that happened, you also remember the day before. I'm impressed and probably the envy of every girl everywhere."_

 _"I guess it comes from dating a Hastings. You get this incredible ability to memorize and remember everything in perfect detail." He joked._

 _"I might've rubbed off on you a little. But I think it mostly comes from you being sentimental." I shrugged._

 _"Are you sure because I remember every time we've come here? The snowball fight, birthdays, the first time after you got your sight back, the time we watched the meteor shower and slept out here all night, when I came back to Rosewood, and of course the very first time. I was so nervous."_

 _"Yeah we've had a lot of good times here." I agreed and smiled at the memories. "Why were you nervous?"_

 _The first time he brought me here I could tell that he was nervous. But I never knew why and this was my chance to find out._

 _"There were a lot of reasons. I had never taken anyone here before. I worried you might not like it or wouldn't understand what it meant. And even though it wasn't a date, it was still the first time I'd ever taken a girl somewhere." He admitted._

 _"Well as you know, I love it here and I was really glad you brought me here. But you weren't the only one that was nervous." I told him._

 _"You were nervous? Spencer, that was years ago. Why are we just now talking about this?" He asked and then started laughing._

 _"I don't know." I shook my head and laughed. "But I'm glad we are. It's fun to look back on things I enjoyed and did with you."_

 _"Same," He nodded. "Now, we've talked about things I remember perfectly. But you want to know what I've memorized perfectly? You. Your smile, laugh, the look on your face when you let yourself relax or when you're happy. The way your hair looks and how it feels. How beautiful you are. How your lips move when you talk or when I do this."_

 _His ran his fingers through my hair and leaned in to kiss me. It was a passionate kiss that was also gentle. Every kiss with Toby was amazing and I never wanted to stop, but unfortunately they always did._

 _"There is no one else in the world like you." He whispered when he pulled away but his face was only inches away from mine._

 _"And there is no one like you or that I'd rather share my life with." I replied and moved in for another kiss_ _._

* * *

We spent about an hour and a half on the hill before we left so I could get to class. We talked a lot and if Hanna was there she would've made fun of us. But we also talked about some serious stuff. Toby told me exactly what his stepmom said about Jenna and also about the hair dye, ID, and yellow tank top.

Since he told me about that, I told him what happened while he was gone. He wasn't happy to find out Garrett broke into Radley. And he thought my theory about the number having to do with his mom was probably right but he hoped that it wasn't. And in this case, I agreed. For once I didn't want to be right.

After my classes I drove back to the loft and grabbed some coffee as well as the mail.

"Hey, Spence, how were your classes and the rest of your day?" Toby asked me when I walked in.

"Good, I have four papers to work on. But for the record, I liked the beginning of my day the best." I told him.

"I'm glad you did. Maybe we could do that again soon." He suggested but I didn't reply. I was too busy staring at one of the envelopes.

"Toby,"

"What is it?" He asked out of concern when he heard my change in tone.

"Another letter from Jenna." I stated quietly.

"How is that possible?" He demanded but I knew he was upset with Jenna and not me.

"I don't know. But there's no postmarks or return address. It looks like she delivered it herself." I told him.

"What's it say?" He sighed.

"Welcome home, Toby. Too bad Mommy isn't here to say it herself. And too bad she can't protect you anymore." I read. "What does that last part mean?"

Toby took the letter to see for himself. When he did a bunch of other papers fell to the ground.

"What the hell does any of this mean?" He asked as he looked at them.

"I guess now we know whose records they stole from Radley." I stated the obvious when I say what was written on the pages. "I'm so sorry, Toby."

I led him from the kitchen to the couch and rubbed his back in a comforting way.

"None of this is your fault, Spencer." He shook his head and tossed the papers across the room.

"She wouldn't be going after you if she didn't blame me." I said feeling guilty that this was happening to him.

"She blames both us of, Spencer." He told me. "And yeah, she's bringing up old memories and throwing them in my face. I don't like it and it's not easy to deal with. But at least she's not bothering you."

"But it bothers me that she's hurting you. And don't tell me to not worry about you!"

"I know better than that. And if things were reversed, I'd feel the same way you do. But can we talk about something else?"

"You know, I told you that the hill was in my top three favorite things to see. But I never told you what the other two were." I commented to change the subject.

"What are they?" He asked, no longer thinking about Jenna or his mom.

"Looking out and seeing your truck pulling up. It lets me know that you're home and safe. And it always makes me think of the day I gave it to you." I told him.

"I love you so much." He stated as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me just like he did before.

"And the number one thing…is you." I stated.

"Me?"

"Yep, you have no idea how much I missed seeing you those two years. And now I get to see you when I wake up every morning. Life might be a bit of a mess right now, but we've been through a lot before and we'll make it through this."

"Are you talking about the mess with Jenna? Or are you talking about the possible issues with your eyes?" He clarified.

"I'm not sure. Both I guess." I shrugged. "I told Hanna and Melissa about my eyes yesterday. And I mentioned it to the others today. I've decided to listen to them and not worry about it until the time comes. If everything's fine then that's great, we can celebrate. But I know that I'll have all the support in the world if the worst happens. We'll adjust and get through it, like I did before."

"That's a pretty positive outlook on things. Are you sure you're still Spencer Hastings?" He teased a little but I knew he was happy I wasn't worrying anymore.

"Yeah for now." I nodded. "Melissa thinks I'll get a new outlook on life when my name is Spencer Cavanaugh. And I think she's right. But don't ever tell her I said that."

"My lips are sealed." He promised and pressed his lips against mine.

* * *

 **Uh-oh another letter from Jenna. What does this one mean? And will Toby's dad attending the wedding be a good thing or a disaster? Thanks for reading and hopefully you continue to because starting next chapter a lot of stuff starts happening. Spencer will have her next appointment, Jason is seen a lot, and Jenna has another message. Leave a review, share your theories, and sneak peeks will be sent out when this gets 75 reviews!**


	18. Chapter 18

Finally the day of my appointment came and I had done my best not to worry. Hanna bought me a coffee travel mug that said 'Keep Calm and Carry On' to help. It wasn't really working but the thought was nice. What did help a little was the fact that Toby accompanied me to the appointment. And also there weren't a lot of other appointments so I was spared sitting in the waiting area for a long time.

"So when do you want to tell the others?" Toby asked me.

We were at the Grille discussing how things went since Toby decided to take me to lunch after my appointment

"I can tell everyone at Hanna's shower tomorrow. But I think I'll stop by Jason's and tell him today. He told me about Jenna so I think he should be told about this first." I replied and took a sip of coffee.

"Do you want me to be there or do you want to talk to him alone?"

"I can do it by myself. Not that I don't want you there but it's not often I get to talk to him anymore with school, work, and Jay. Plus, I you need to be at the store, you get a lot of business on Friday's." I tried to convince him.

"Are you sure?" He asked and I nodded. "Okay then, I'll drop you off and Jason can bring you to the loft when you're ready. But for now let's enjoy our time together and our lunch."

"Oh of course, we can't forget the food." I said sarcastically. "Although, you're not nearly as bad as Jason or Caleb so I guess I should cut you some slack."

"That's not the only thing you need should cut me some slack for." He stated and gave me a look.

"Hey, I have no problem admitting you were right. In this case I'm so, so glad that you were." I told him. "Thank you, for always being here for me."

I grabbed his hand and brought it to my cheek and kissed it since I couldn't quite reach across the table and give him a real kiss.

* * *

"Hey, Spence, come on in." Jason greeted as he opened the door.

"Thanks. Are Jay and Cece around?" I asked him.

"No, they're with Melissa and Taylor at some carnival in Ravenswood I think." He shook his head.

"That's nice. I hope they take pictures. I can see Taylor begging to go on every ride." I commented.

"Yeah, even the ones that she's too short for. She's going to be one of those people that travels the country and goes on all the huge record-breaking rollercoasters." He agreed. "So, what brings you here?"

"I just wanted to hang out. It's been a while." I shrugged trying to be casual.

I really did want to spend time with him. Plus I wasn't ready to break the news to him just yet.

"It has." He nodded. "What do you want to do?"

"I'm up for anything but a food fight." I stated and Jason lost it and held his side from laughing so hard.

* * *

 _"Um, Spencer, the…the coffee ran out this morning." Jason told me hesitantly._

 _"What!?" I yelled._

 _I had just finished a coffee before coming over so I didn't really care. But Jason seemed nervous and I couldn't help but scare him more._

 _"Hey, don't shoot the messenger!" He stated and pointed at me._

 _"Jason, we're Hastings; we need caffeine to survive." I scolded him._

 _"I know, and if you really need caffeine I've got soda." He offered._

 _"Fine, I'll drink soda. I don't care what kind it is." I shrugged._

 _"Here you go." He said and handed me a can of grape soda._

 _I opened the can and soda spewed out everywhere. My cream colored blouse now looked it had been tie-dyed purple by an amateur. And my book had soda. All. Over. It._

 _"Jason DiLaurentis! You…" I yelled, truly mad at him now._

 _"I didn't shake it, Spencer!" He interrupted me. "You're already annoyed about the coffee. Why would I make things worse for myself by shaking your soda?"_

 _Like it or not, I had to admit he did have a point. He had learned over the years to leave me alone when he thought I was irritated._

 _"Besides, shaking a can of soda, that's baby stuff. Nobody older than twelve does that."_

 _I might have let it go. But something about that comment rubbed me wrong._

 _"You think staining a shirt that my best friend designed and damaging a good book, is a silly kid's prank?" I asked incredulously. "I'll show you what baby stuff is."_

 _And with that I stood up and poured the rest of the soda over his head._

 _"Seriously, Spencer!?" Jason yelled as he dried his face. "What happened to you was an accident. But this was totally uncalled for. And payback is gonna be sweet."_

 _"You are unbelievable!" I screamed after he threw an open container of marshmallow fluff at me. Some even when down my shirt, it probably ruined my bra._

 _"Don't start something you can't finish." He said with a smug grin that I was determined to get rid of._

 _"Oh, I'll finish this. And don't forget that you fight fire with fire." I said just as smug and I grabbed the hot sauce off the table and aimed it for his face._

 _"Alright, alright you win!" He cried and stumbled over to the sink to wash his face._

 _"Don't shake my soda next time." I said and to be nice I handed him a hand towel._

 _"I didn't shake the soda!" He insisted and next thing I knew I was being sprayed with water._

 _"Fine, I believe you!" I gave in once my shirt and face were soaked._

 _"Wow, who knew I could get the Great Spencer Hastings to surrender with a spoon and some high power water." He laughed and shook his head. "Guess people really shouldn't underestimate the easy pranks."_

 _"Watch your back, Jason. Revenge is also sweet." I threatened him and then left to clean up._

* * *

"Unbelievable!" Jason yelled and threw the controller at the wall

"Oh grow up, Jason." I rolled my eyes.

"You're a girl. You're not supposed to be good at video games. And you definitely shouldn't be able to beat your older brother!" He argued.

"Being a girl has nothing to do with this. And I won for two reasons. One, I'm Spencer, enough said. Two, every Thursday night my second year of college, it was me and Hanna versus Toby and Caleb. We learned really quick how to not get our butts kicked."

"Yeah, I've played with them, it's pretty intense." He agreed. "So, now what?"

"Well honestly, I had two reasons for coming here. I really did want to hang out. But I also have some news to tell you." I stated.

"What's that?"

"This morning I say my eye doctor." I said slowly.

"And?" He asked pointedly.

"Hey, we're home." Cece announced as she, Melissa, Jay, and Taylor came in.

"Hey, did you girls and my little guy have fun?" Jason asked them as he picked up his son.

"Yeah, it was great!" Taylor shouted excitedly.

"The kids had fun alright." Melissa nodded. "Spencer, since you're here. Do you mind if I talk to you for a minute. It'll save me a trip to the loft later."

"Sure, let's talk in Jay's room." I agreed.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked once we were alone. "And are you okay? You don't look too good."

"I'm fine. I'm just concerned." She sighed. "I know I'm gonna sound crazy. But when we were in Ravenswood, I saw Alison. It was just a glimpse for a second and I know it's not possible but still. She had the same yellow tank top, long blonde hair, and that little, devious smirk."

"Well that explains why you look like you saw I ghost." I commented.

"Ravenswood is known for being involved with the supernatural. They get a lot of tourists around Halloween because of ghost sightings and haunted houses." She pointed out. "But I don't believe in ghosts. Do think that my mind is just playing tricks on me?"

"I don't think it's your mind. I think it's someone. Toby told me that he found a receipt for a yellow tank top and blonde hair dye that his stepmom bought, probably for Jenna." I told her.

"But why would she be dressed like that in Ravenswood around me, Cece, and the kids? Isn't it you and Toby that she's after?" She asked.

"I don't know. But I'll warn the other girls in case they see an Alison look-alike. Did anything else happen?"

"Taylor got lost for a few minutes. We found her by the puppet theater and she had an ice cream cone. A nice lady told her a show started soon and she wanted a front row seat." She told me.

"Was it Jenna?" I asked feeling a little angry. It didn't sit well that Jenna might have come in contact with my niece.

"All Taylor told me was that the person was really pretty with hair like Cece's. But there was something written on a napkin Taylor was holding. Kids are cute but babies are better." She stated.

"That's definitely one of Jenna's cryptic messages. Now we have to find the meaning." I nodded.

"Hey, I need to put Jay down for a nap." Jason said with a sleepy boy in his arms. "And I also need to finish a certain talk Spencer and I were having."

"Oh yeah, what were you two talking about when we came in?" Melissa asked.

"Spencer had her eye appointment today. She was just about to tell me how it went." Jason stated as we walked into the hall so we didn't wake Jay.

"Really? Why didn't you say something, Spencer? This is important." Melissa questioned me.

"I know but Jason was distracted by Little Jay and you wanted to talk. So I figured I'd wait until things settled down." I told her. "But there's something else I have to tell you first."

"What?" They both asked.

"My eye doctor called in a favor and got some information about Jenna. She wasn't supposed to tell me, but I was the last person before her lunch break. So I waited for her to go outside and gave her a couple twenties to pretend that I was allowed to know."

"Did she take it?" Jason wondered.

"What did she say?" Melissa demanded.

"Jenna losing her sight again has nothing to do with the fire or the surgery both of us had junior year. It's a hereditary condition and her great aunt has the same thing. Even if the fire never happened, this eventually would have." I explained to them.

"That's tough luck for Jenna. But for you, does this mean what I think it means?" Jason asked.

"That all of us, especially me, were worried for nothing? Yes. My eyes are perfectly fine." I replied.

"So, I caused you to worry for nothing because I got my nose into something that wasn't my business but didn't get all the info." Jason sighed guiltily.

"Nobody blames you, Jason, certainly not me. You were just being a brother that wanted to make sure his sister was okay. And you did help us by telling us about Jenna. So don't blame yourself." I assured him.

"Thanks, Spence. And I'm glad you're okay." He nodded and gave me a short hug and then Melissa did as well.

"Mommy, is everything okay? Uncle Jason never gives hugs except to me, Jay, and Aunt Cece." Taylor asked suddenly appearing.

"Yeah, everything's fine, Sweetie. All of us are just really happy." Melissa answered her and Jason and I nodded in agreement.

* * *

 **Yay! Spencer is okay! Sorry not sorry for waiting until the end to reveal the news. Who liked the food fight? I felt it was time for some fun Spason. And any idea what the latest Jenna message means?** **Thank you so much to those that reviewed last chapter. You are awesome! I'll still send out sneak peeks at 75. Next chapter something big happens that you don't want to miss. See you guys soon :)**


	19. Chapter 19

I woke up early the next morning and had breakfast with Toby before heading out to start the day. The first place we stopped was the flower shop.

Since tomorrow was Mother's Day, Hanna wanted to have a mother daughter brunch. We would be celebrating Hanna and her baby as well as our mom's. So I got purple dahlias for Hanna and pink roses for my mom. Toby also got some flowers that he would take when he saw his mom tomorrow.

After we got the flowers we went and picked up Emily and Maya from the bus stop then Toby dropped us off at my parents'. Aria and Mona were already setting up and my mom and Melissa were talking to the caterers. An hour later we finished setting up and people started arriving. And Hanna and Ashley showed up last of course, always fashionably late.

"Okay, people, I have something I want to say." Hanna stood up and announced about halfway through the meal. "First, thanks for coming, it means I lot and you all know how much I love get-togethers. And second, I want to say thanks to my mom for having me and doing an amazing job of raising me. If it weren't for her, we wouldn't be here today at my baby shower. And speaking of my baby, I hope I do a good a job with him or her as my mom did with me."

"Thank you, Hanna." Ashley told her with a smile.

"Wow, Han, were did that come from?" Mona asked quietly since she was sitting next to her.

"I don't know. Maybe it's maternal instincts kicking in." Hanna shrugged and sent me a wink and I smiled remembering our conversation about Alison.

"Whatever it is, I bet your mom really appreciated it. Being a mom's tough so it's nice to hear that you're doing a good job." Aria commented as she passed by on her way to change Brooklyn's diaper.

The rest of the meal continued and a few others stood up and gave a little speech about Hanna or about their mom. The most memorable, besides Hanna's, were probably Mona's and Grandma Marin's.

"Hanna was the first real friend that I had. We've been through a lot and I know her better than I know myself. I can tell she's a little nervous about being a mom but she's going to knock it out of the park. She'll be one of the cool mom's that can also put her foot down. And she'll also be her kid's best friend, because that's who she is, she loves everybody and you can't not like Hanna Rivers. Am I right?"

Everyone laughed and agreed with Mona's last comment and it was just what Hanna needed to hear.

"Let me start by saying that I am so happy for Hanna and Caleb." The older Mrs. Marin said. "As you know, Hanna is my only grandbaby. And when I heard that she was having a baby, I thought the same thing I did when Ashley was pregnant. I thought 'I'm too young to be a grandma.' And now I think I'm too young to be a great grandma. But what I think doesn't matter. What matters is that there's gonna be a new baby for me to spoil. And whether it's a boy or a girl it'll be the cutest baby ever because both parents have good looks. You have good taste, Hanna, even if that computer boy talks too technical sometimes. Anyway, I can't wait to meet this baby and I know my Hanna will do a fine job of being a mother. And her baby will always be well dressed. Love you, Honey."

By the time Grandma Marin was finished we were laughing all over again. It was easy to tell where Hanna got some of her personality from. But everything she said was true. A little Hanna or Caleb would be adorable and Hanna would definitely dress her baby up. And of course everyone was happy for them and ready to meet the baby in a few weeks.

When people were finished eating we cleared the plates, played a few games, and took a few votes. Most people voted that Hanna would be better at changing diapers than Caleb and that she was gonna have a girl.

"Aright it is time for Mommy to open the presents!" I announced. "Hanna, please take a seat in the rocking chair and someone will give you the presents and I'll write everything down."

"Of course you are." Hanna rolled her as she took her special seat.

"You know me." I laughed as I got out my notebook.

Hanna got some crib sheets from Emily and Maya, diapers and a scrapbook from Aria, a homemade blanket from Mona and her mom, an adorable teddy bear from Taylor, parenting books and bibs from Melissa, some onesies and sleepers from Cece, and a toy chest and playpen from Toby and I. She got many other gifts as well from the rest of our friends and family. And the girls and I pitched in to get a $150 gift card to buy stuff that was still needed.

"Thank you everybody. Your gifts are amazing and I can't wait for my baby to meet you." Hanna thanked everyone once all the gifts were opened and she gave out several hugs.

After the presents Emily and Aria brought out the cake. It was both blue and pink and it had butterflies on the pink side and monkeys on the blue side. Hanna did the honors of cutting the first piece and took a pink slice and a blue one because she one minute she was sure she was having a boy and the next she was certain she was having a girl.

"Wow, this was the greatest baby shower ever! Thank you so, so much you guys. You're amazing and I love you to death." Hanna told us once the guests had left and it was just us in the barn.

"We love you too, Han, and we were happy to do this for you." I told her, and the others agreed and we had a group hug.

"So, should we start cleaning up now or later?" Aria asked the question that nobody wanted to answer.

"Definitely later, we have some stuff we need to talk about." Hanna stated and looked right at me.

"Hanna, Spencer doesn't need to tell us anything if she's not ready." Emily told her. "You can tell us whenever you want, Spence. And remember we're here for you."

"Thanks, Em, but I'm ready to tell you now. I would have said something sooner but I didn't want to take away from Hanna's attention during the shower." I replied. "I'll tell you the news first and then the details. Just let me get my mom first. She needs to know too."

I walked out of the barn and into the house and found her in the kitchen.

"Hey, Mom, could you come to the barn for a few minutes? The girls and I are talking and there's something I need to tell you." I said.

"Sure, I'll be right there." She nodded.

On the way back to the barn something yellow caught my eye. I turned to get a better look but whatever it was, it was gone. I would've looked around more but my mom came outside and we needed to get back to the girls.

"Do we need to be sitting down for this?" Mona asked when we walked into the barn.

"If you want to." I shrugged and my mom, Aria, and Emily sat down.

"What is this about, Spencer?" My mom asked me.

"The girls asked about my appointment yesterday and I figured you should know too. And I said I would give the news first and details later." I told her and she nodded. "Okay, so…I'm alright, I'm not losing my sight like Jenna is."

Immediately I saw the relief on everyone's faces, especially my mom's.

"Really?" The girls shouted.

I barely had time to nod before being attacked with another group hug. And after the group hug with the girls I got a hug from my mom.

"I'm glad you're alright, Spencer. I've been so worried since you and Melissa told me about everything." My mom told me.

"I'm glad too, really glad. But you don't have to worry anymore. At some point I might need glasses but that's it." I assured her.

"I knew everything would be okay. You guys need to listen to me more often." Hanna stated teasingly.

"Yeah, you were right, Han." I nodded with a smile.

"I'm happy for you, Spencer." Mona told me. "So, what are the details? How come you're okay and Jenna's not?"

I answered and told them the same thing that I told Jason and Melissa the day before.

"Wow, that's crazy. Who would have ever guessed that was the reason?" Emily commented.

"And it's another reason why Jenna would want revenge. She's losing her sight again but Spencer isn't." Mona suggested.

"Speaking of Jenna wanting revenge…" I started and then told them about the hair dye and tank top Jenna's mom had bought as well as what happened in Ravenswood.

"Great, so we have to be on the lookout for an Alison wannabe." Aria said sarcastically.

"I'm not an Alison wannabe. I'm the real thing." Someone stated.

We all turned around to see "Alison" standing in the doorway.

"What do you want, Jenna?" I demanded.

"Jenna doesn't want anything, she's not even here. But all Alison wants is to congratulate her friend. Why didn't you invite me to the shower? You know I love babies and since you guys were my best friends I would have brought a really great gift." Jenna said acting as if she was Alison, as if Ali never died and this was a normal thing.

"Cut the freaky crap, Jenna. You aren't our friend and you are not Alison! She's dead and you were the one that did her in." Hanna yelled at her.

"You're right, Alison is dead. And it happened when you all were together in this barn. She was even wearing this same outfit. Funny how life gives déjà vu moments." Jenna commented.

"This isn't déjà vu. This is you messing with us. And we want to know why." Mona stated.

"I told you the truth; I would've brought a gift if I was invited. But I wasn't, so I'm gonna recreate that night instead." Jenna told us.

"How? You already got rid of Ali like you wanted. And if you plan to kill us, it won't happen considering you're really outnumbered." Hanna pointed out.

"You really think Alison was the only one I wanted gone?" Jenna laughed. "I want all of you gone, especially Spencer."

"Why me? Is it because you trapped me in a burning apartment and it led to you getting sent to jail?" I questioned her.

"No, that was Garrett's fault. You know what you did. You stole Toby. And I'm just trying to decide if I should get rid of you, or if I should take Toby away from you first." Jenna told me.

"Don't you dare go near him!" I screamed at her.

"You're not in a position to tell me what to do." She scoffed.

"She may not be, but I am. Jenna, you have ten seconds to get off my property before I call the police." My mom stated.

"That won't do any good. They won't be of much help to anyone any time soon. It's one of the very few benefits of working with Garrett again." She informed us and then rolled her eyes.

"You might've done something to local police. But everyone in this state and the surrounding ones are looking for you. You will be caught." I told her.

"Doesn't matter. Just as long as I get done what I came to do." She shrugged.

"Hey, girls." Jason greeted us as he walked through the other door. "Cece sent me over to help clean…Ali?"

"Did you miss me, Jason?" Jenna asked him, perfectly mimicking Alison.

"Jason, it's not Alison. It's Jenna." Aria warned him.

"What the hell do you want? Haven't you done enough?" Jason yelled at Jenna and I could tell he was trying not to strangle her.

"Oh, I haven't even started yet." Jenna said with an evil grin. "But that's gonna change right now."

The second those words left her mouth she pulled a gun. The next thing I heard was a gunshot followed by everyone screaming.

* * *

 **Dun dun dun! Cliffhanger! Who do you think Jenna shot? Or did someone else have a gun and Jenna was the one shot? And will the person live or have the same fate as Alison?** **Find out next chapter. Lol maybe it's a good thing this hasn't reached 75 yet so now you can get a sneak peek of who was shot. Speaking of which, thank you to** Kathryn2014 **,** sarahschneider2012 **,** prettylittlespoby13 **, and** Jmcncrlsd **. You guys are awesome and it means a lot that you've reviewed pretty much every chapter! :D**


	20. Chapter 20

I dropped the girls off at the Hastings' house and then went to the furniture store. Things were going on just like any other Saturday, until I got a phone call from Spencer. She tried not to call me at work so I knew this was important. I couldn't understand much of what she was saying. But I did hear hospital, Jenna, and gun. I got to the hospital as fast as I could. I ran into Mike in one of the hallways and he led me to where the girls were waiting.

"Spencer!" I called out when I saw her. "Are you alright? What did Jenna do?"

"I'm fine." She told me with a shaky voice.

"Then who got hurt?" I asked as I wrapped my arms around her to comfort her.

I looked around and saw the girls, Melissa, and her mom. Everyone seemed to be just as shook up as Spencer, but fine other than that. Then I realized that the blonde next to Melissa wasn't Hanna, it was Cece. 'Oh no, please let Hanna and the baby be alright.' I thought to myself.

"It's Jason." She whispered and then laid her head on my shoulder and cried.

I sat down in an empty chair and held Spencer as she sat in my lap and cried. I did my best to calm her down but Spencer needed to know that Jason would be alright before she even slightly calmed down.

"What happened?" I quietly asked Mrs. Hastings since she was the closest.

"It was after the shower. I was in the barn with the girls and Spencer told us about her appointment and Jenna. Then speak of the devil, she walked in and threatened the girls, especially Spencer. I told her to get off my property but she didn't listen. Then Jason walked in, yelled at her, and then was bleeding on the floor."

"Will he be okay?"

"It's too soon to tell." She shook her head.

"What about Hanna? Where is she?" I asked when I noticed that Hanna still wasn't around.

"She thought she was going into labor. Turns out it was just a false alarm due to the stress of everything that happened." She told me and I felt relieved.

"Hey, Spence, do you want me to get you some coffee? Then maybe we can stop by and see Hanna and Caleb for a little bit." I asked her a few minutes later.

She had stopped crying, but she was still clearly upset. I hoped that going to get some coffee and seeing Hanna would take her mind off things for at least a little while.

"No!" She shook her head and looked panicked. "What if the doctor comes and we're not here? What if…"

"Spencer, it'll be a while before we hear anything. Besides, what do you think Jason would say to you if he knew that you just sat here for hours?" I pointed out knowing she couldn't argue.

"Okay, you're right. I could use some coffee and Hanna will make me laugh despite the situation." She gave in.

We got coffee and walked around the halls a bit before seeing Hanna. Spencer figured it'd probably be best if she wasn't a 'crying wreck' when she saw her.

"Hey, Hanna," Spence said quietly when we walked into Hanna's room. Talking quietly was the only way Spencer could keep her voice steady.

"Hey, how is everyone? How's Jason? How're you? Where's Jenna?" Hanna questioned almost too fast to understand.

"Whoa, slow down, Hanna, or that nurse is going to come back in here." Caleb stated and by the look on Hanna's face I could tell she didn't like the nurses.

"I don't know anything about Jason yet, but everyone else is fine. And I know you won't believe me if I say I'm fine so I won't even go there. As for Jenna, she ran off while everyone panicked over Jason." Spencer answered her and then changed the topic a little. "What about you, Hanna? Are you sure you're okay?

"Other than being irritated that I have to stay overnight, I'm alright." Hanna rolled her eyes. "The baby is fine too. But I'm being put on bedrest for a week to be on the safe side. Usually I'd take any excuse to lay around but now I'm gonna be a sitting goose for Jenna."

"It's sitting duck, Hanna." I told her.

"Who asked you? Stay out of this or I'll find a lamp somewhere in this hospital." Hanna threatened. "Who cares anyway they both quack."

"Actually geese honk." Spencer corrected her and Hanna just glared at her. "Anyway, don't worry about Jenna. She said so herself that she especially wants me gone and hinted that she would take me out first."

"Yeah, but you weren't the one that she shot. It was Jason and he was just an innocent bystander!" Hanna argued and then realized what she said. "I'm sorry, Spence…"

"No, you're right. But killing me then and there would've been too easy. Maybe she did that to Jason just to hurt me the way she's digging up stuff about Toby's mom." Spencer sighed.

"I don't want to admit it but that actually makes sense." Caleb commented.

"This conversation is too depressing. Somebody say something funny or stupid." Hanna stated.

"Anybody want to take bets on whether or not my dad is gonna show up?" Spencer asked.

It wasn't exactly funny or stupid, but it was random enough that it still worked.

"I'm gonna say no. And I'll bet a carwash at the new place that overcharges." Caleb wagered.

"Yeah, I say the same. Him coming is less likely than my dad coming to see me right now." Hanna commented. "What do you think, Spence?"

"I wouldn't be surprised either way. But he didn't show up when Cece had an emergency C-section with Jay. So why should he show up when his son is having an emergency surgery to get a bullet out of him." Spencer shrugged like she didn't care but I knew that at this point it was her way of coping.

"Not that I disagree with the points you've made, but I think he'll come. The rest of his family is here so he might come to keep up the appearances, or if Jessica asks him to come." I gave my opinion.

"The first reason, not that likely. But the second reason is totally valid. I mean, Mrs. D says jump and he says how high. It's ridiculous. And all because of something that happened how many years ago? Everyone has affairs nowadays, except for Caleb. Right, babe?" Hanna rambled and then gave Caleb a certain look.

"I would never even think of such a thing." Caleb assured her and gave her a kiss to make her happy.

"I think this is our cue to leave." I said to Spencer.

"I think so." She nodded and the lovebirds didn't even notice that we left.

We stopped by the vending machine for a snack then returned to the waiting area when the others were. But we weren't the only ones that were joining the others. Jessica DiLaurentis arrived a few seconds before we did and if looks could kill Veronica would be in trouble.

"Veronica." Jessica stated and she reminded me of the way Alison would look when she didn't get her way.

"Jessica, I was wondering when you'd show up." Veronica commented.

"I got here as soon as I could." Jessica stated. "How could you let this happen?"

"I am sorry that this happened, but I had nothing to do with it. I wasn't the one that pulled the trigger." Veronica replied defensively and I hoped an argument didn't break out.

"Maybe not, but it happened on your property, just like that sleepover. It was bad enough that my daughter was killed during one of your daughter's parties but now my son is fighting for his life. You should keep a better eye on her, her friends, and her fiancé before someone else gets." Jessica told her.

"This is not Spencer's fault." I spoke up. "It's not anyone's. No one could have possibly known that either of those things was going to happen. I get that you need to take your feelings out on someone, but don't do it on any of us, especially Spencer."

"I disagree; your stepsister did this so you must have known something." Jessica stated.

"All I know is that she's been making threats against me and Spencer. I had no idea she would show up after the shower, that Jason would be there, or why she shot him." I stated as calmly as I could.

"I don't want any of you anywhere near him. You've done enough damage." Jessica told all of us and stared at Spencer for a few seconds.

"You can't do that! I'm his sister. I have as much right to see him as you do." Spencer yelled at her suddenly going from quiet to livid.

"You're his half-sister. But I'm his mother and what I say goes." Jessica stated.

I could see the hurt look that crossed Spencer's face for just a second. To be called Jason's half-sister was low. Anyone could tell that they were just as close as real, full siblings. They teased each other ninety percent of the time but underneath that they both cared about the other a lot. Jason was there for her the entire time she was blind and she was there for him when they finally found Alison. In a way, Spencer was closer to Jason than she was to the girls sometimes.

"And I'm the mother of his child, his emergency contact, and I've lived with him for almost four years. I'm pretty sure that means I get to make the decisions and I have no problem with his sister seeing him once he's allowed visitors." Cece challenged her, speaking for the first time.

Before Jessica or anyone else could say anything, a doctor walked into the waiting area and got everyone's attention.

"Is anyone here family of Jason DiLaurentis?" The doctor asked.

"I am." Spencer, Melissa, Cece, and Jessica all stated.

"Well, Mr. DiLaurentis is out of surgery and is expected to make a full recovery." He told us and everyone sighed in relief.

"When can we see him?" Spencer asked anxiously.

"Now if you like, but not for too long. It'll be several hours before he's conscious. I'd recommend stopping by tomorrow morning if you want a real visit with him."

"Now." Spencer insisted.

"Then follow me, but no more than three at a time. And like I said, it needs to be a short visit for now." He instructed and Spencer, Melissa, and Cece followed him down the hall.

The others left and Mrs. DiLaurentis was the first to go. But Mrs. Hastings and I stayed and watched Jay and Taylor while we waited for the girls to come back.

"Toby, I don't know if it's my place to tell you this, but I know that Spencer won't tell you." Mrs. Hastings started.

She then told me why Jenna wanted Spencer gone. But that she might take me away from her first. And there was no way that I would let her do that.

"What happened to Jason is evidence that her threats aren't empty. I think you and Spencer should stay away from the loft for a few days. I'd let you stay in the barn but that's not safe either." She suggested.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Hastings, I'll keep your daughter safe and I know just the place to go." I assured her.

* * *

 **So Jason was the one that Jenna shot. I know some of you were hoping that someone shot Jenna but it's a little too soon for that. Don't worry though, Jenna's time will come before the story's over. Where do you think Toby will take Spencer? Will Hanna really listen and stay on bed rest for a week? And what did you think of Mrs D showing up and saying what she said? Let me know your thoughts and ideas and I'll see you all soon with another chapter. Hope this made a crappy Monday a little better ;)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Spencer POV**

I woke up the next morning and it took a minute to figure out where I was. Everything was sort of a blur since Jason had been shot. But then I remembered that Toby had taken me to the motel after my visit with Jason.

I sat up and thought about everything that had happened. How did things go from a fun baby shower to a life and death situation? A few minutes later Toby started to stir and eventually woke up.

"Hey," I greeted him.

"Hey," He replied. "You look tired."

"That's because I just woke up ten minutes ago." I shrugged.

"Not that kind of tired. You look like you never slept at all." He stated. "Was it because of Jenna or are you still worried about Jason?"

"Why do you have to know me so well?" I asked rhetorically. "I am worried about Jason, but I know he'll be fine. Plus he has two people guarding his room incase Jenna or Garrett try something."

"So this is about Jenna." He stated and I nodded. "Don't worry, Spence, she won't find us here. We took a cab from the hospital to here and I paid in cash with a fake name. We're safe."

"We might be, but what about the others?" I insisted. "And don't tell me that Jenna won't hurt them, not after what she did to Jason."

"I can't guarantee anything, but I think she shot Jason because he was Ali's sister. You said she wanted to recreate the night she killed Ali. She couldn't kill her again so she did the next closest thing." He pointed out.

"Not that I'm glad she shot Jason, but I hope that you're right and this means she won't go after anyone else." I sighed.

"I know." He said and kissed my cheek. "Do you want to visit Hanna before she gets discharged? And you can see Jason too; he should be a little more talkative than he was yesterday."

"He didn't say anything yesterday; he was unconscious the whole time." I rolled my eyes.

"It was a joke, Spence. Come on, I'm trying to cheer you up. Now, what do you say?"

"What if Jenna expects us to go there and is waiting for us?" I asked.

"Do you really want to stay holed up in this motel room until the police catch Jenna? She's already been out for weeks. Who knows how much longer it'll take until she's caught if we don't try to end this now?" He pointed out and I couldn't come up with a comeback.

"Why do you have to be right?" I asked slightly irritated.

"Same reason why I know you so well." He smirked.

I wanted to stay irritated with him, but looking at that stupid smirk of his, I just couldn't.

"I'll call Caleb and tell him we're on our way." I gave in and grabbed my phone.

* * *

Half an hour later we were back at the hospital and headed towards Hanna's room.

"You know, something Caleb said yesterday got me thinking." I commented when we got off the elevator.

"What's that?" He asked me.

"He told Hanna he'd never have an affair. You and I aren't married yet but that'll be changed in a couple weeks and…" I hinted.

"I've been waiting for this a long time, and I am going to enjoy every second of being married to you." He told me and I smiled. "Besides I have a very specific type. And I don't think I'll ever find another girl that's a sore loser at Scrabble, a bookworm that's so smart she's scary, a shirt thief, both funny and sarcastic, has the craziest friends, addicted to caffeine, and can't be dealt with when she turns into 'No Caffeine or Low Blood-Sugar Spencer.'"

"Wow, you're girlfriend sounds awesome." I stated as sarcastically as I could.

"She is." He affirmed. "And I love her more than anything."

He stopped walking and pulled me to the side and gave me a short but very loving kiss. I was annoyed that we were in a public place otherwise it would have become more than just a kiss.

* * *

"Knock, knock," I said when we entered Hanna's room.

"Hey! I'm so glad you're here! The people here are driving me crazy. I need someone to keep me sane for the next half hour." Hanna rambled as soon as she saw us.

"Where's Caleb?" Toby asked.

"He went home to get me some clothes. I refuse to wear what I wore yesterday." She told us.

"I don't blame you. I had blood all over my jeans yesterday. Even if it does come out I don't think I'll ever where 'em again." I commented.

"You did?" Toby looked at me surprised.

"Yeah, but my mom made me change after the police asked us what happened before coming here." I told him.

"Spencer, why do you have that look on your face?" Hanna asked me.

"What look?"

"When you looked at Toby, it was like the past twenty-four hours never happened. And…wait a minute. You and Toby slept together last night. Didn't you? How could you do that when your pregnant best friend and only brother are in here?" Hanna accused us.

"Nothing happened last night, Hanna. We went to the motel, got some take out, and fell asleep." I stated.

"Well if nothing happened last night then something happened this morning. Either at the motel or you two found a supply closet before coming to see me. Now which is it?" She demanded.

"Leave them alone, Hanna." Caleb told her as he walked in. "Hey guys."

"Hey," Toby and I both greeted him.

"Did Hanna tell you the good news?" He asked us.

"No, what is it?" I asked.

"I know you think it's not safe to stay at the loft, and I agree. But Hanna and I talked last night and we want you guys to stay with us. It'll be a lot nicer than a motel room and Jenna has no idea where we live." Caleb offered.

"Wow, I appreciate that, Caleb, but we can't put you out like that. Who knows when it'll be safe to go back to the loft?" Toby tried to refuse and I felt the same.

"You wouldn't be putting us out. And we're not taking no for an answer." Hanna stated. "Think of it this way. There's safety in numbers, it would make me feel like less of a sitting duck if you were with me, and we have one of the securest security systems thanks to Caleb. Plus, I'm on bedrest for a week. Remember? I need constant company."

"Those are good points." I admitted and I looked at Toby to see what he was thinking. "I'm for it if you are."

"Okay, thank you for the offer. And we'll stay with you, on one condition." Toby stated.

"What's that?" Hanna and Caleb asked.

"The pink lamp gets locked away in the attic for the entirety of our stay." He told them and they started laughing hysterically.

"Deal," Caleb barely managed to nod and the laughter spread to Toby and I as well.

* * *

"Hey, another visitor." Jason commented when I walked into his room. "Where's Toby?"

"Caleb and Hanna offered to let us stay with them until Jenna's gone. So Toby's bringing a few of our things to their place then coming back for me." I told him as I sat down. "Do you know how long you'll be here?"

"A couple days," He shrugged. "It looks worse than it is. I just lost a lot of blood."

"You're lucky." I commented casually but inside I was felt grateful. Jason got on my nerves more than anyone but I couldn't imagine a world without him in it.

"I'm not so sure about that."

"What does that mean?" I questioned him, not sure I would like where this was headed.

"She shot me in the side and didn't do that much damage. If I had been standing two inches to the right she wouldn't have hit me at all. I think her aim off because of her eyes. That means she might not be as dangerous as you think." Jason pointed out.

"Or that could make her more dangerous. But you have a point and it's a good thing to know."

"So, how are you and the others holding up? I heard Hanna isn't happy she had to stay overnight." He asked.

"Yeah, she wasn't but she just got released. And the others are fine, just scared." I told him and he grinned and shook his head. "What?"

"You."

"What about me?" I asked getting a little annoyed.

"You told me about everyone but yourself. That's so unbelievably typical." He told me and I rolled my eyes.

"Physically, I'm fine. Emotionally, I'm a tired worried mess." I sighed.

"Yeah, you look tired." He agreed teasingly. "I know it's useless but I'm gonna say it anyway, don't worry everything will be fine. Jenna was caught last time and she'll be caught this time. And I know Toby would never let anything happen to you. But then again, you're probably worried about him getting hurt and not yourself."

"Okay, it's one thing for Toby to know me so well. But how do you?" I demanded.

"Despite the fact that some people don't want to admit it, we're both Hastings and we're wired the same. Plus, I've kind of been forced to hang out with you a lot over the last few years."

"Forced? You mean you don't love spending time with your little sister?" I feigned shock. "I'm going to make sure that statement comes back to bite you one day."

"Yeah, I'm sure you will." Jason stated knowingly.

"Hey, Cece," I greeted her when I saw her come in. "Where's Jay?"

"He's with Melissa." She replied. "How're you doing?"

"Don't bother asking, she won't tell you the truth." Jason stated.

"Shut up! I did tell you the truth." I argued.

"Not all of it." He countered.

"Give it a rest you two, you're in a hospital for crying out loud." Cece shook her head.

"I'll give it a rest when he/she gives it a rest." Jason and I both stated then glared at each other and Cece just rolled her eyes.

* * *

 **Toby POV**

 _"Hey! I'm so glad you're here! The people here are driving me crazy. I need someone to keep me sane for the next half hour." Hanna rambled as soon as she saw us._

That half hour passed quickly and Hanna was very pleased when she finally got out. I got in the truck, which I had left at the hospital last night, and went to the loft. Caleb met me there once Hanna was settled and we packed the things Spencer and I would need. When we finished Caleb went back to his place. I was supposed to get Spencer, but I decided to take a small detour by Rosewood cemetery.

"Happy Mother's Day, Mom." I said as I placed the flowers in the holder. "A lot of stuff has been going on. Things are being brought up again and making me question some things. I wish I had the answers, I wish were you here, I wish you hadn't left."

"She didn't leave, Toby. Didn't you read those papers I sent you before you tossed them across the room and later burned them?"

I knew that voice anywhere, unfortunately. I turned around there was Jenna. Just what I needed right now. But I realized too late that Jenna wasn't my only problem. I saw Garrett out of the corner of my eye just before the punch came and I fell to the ground.

* * *

 **Happy Spoby Anniversary everybody! I know this wasn't a big Spoby fluff chapter but there is a little in here to celebrate. And** **sorry not sorry for that cliffhanger ending. It's all part of the plot.** **The next few chapters will be pretty action-packed with Jenna's grand plans. Will she win or will Spoby? Let me know your thoughts in a review. And more reviews will get a quicker update and the sooner you find out what will happen to Toby. Just saying. Enjoy the weekend and Spoby's anniversary! :D**


	22. Chapter 22

A little while later Jason fell asleep so I decided to go with Cece to the cafeteria. I checked my phone since I had had it on silent. I didn't have any messages, but based on the time, Toby would be here soon. And a few minutes later, Cece went to the bathroom and I got a call from Toby.

"Hey, Toby, I'm in the cafeteria. Where are you?" I asked when I picked up.

"Toby?" I asked when I didn't get an answer.

 _'Toby isn't available to come to the phone right now.'_ A female voice replied.

"Jenna."

 _'Correct as always, Spencer.'_

"What do you want? And where's Toby?" I demanded.

 _'Unable are the loved to die for love is immortality.'_ She said as she hung up.

"Hey, Spencer, where are you going?" Cece asked when she came back and saw me grabbing my things.

"Something came up and I've to go." I told her.

"But you don't have a car." She pointed out.

"I'll grab a taxi to my parents' then take Jason's car. I still have his spare key after all these years." I answered then walked off.

* * *

Twenty minutes later I had gotten Jason's car and was now pounding on Caleb's front door.

"Spencer? What's going on? Where's Toby?" Caleb asked when he finally got the door.

"He's at the cemetery and Jenna has him." I told as I marched in. "I need one of your cell phones."

"Why do you need a phone? What's the matter with yours? And how do you know that's where she has him?" He questioned me.

"I'm in a hurry, Caleb. Just get the phone and I'll answer your questions." I stated and followed him into his computer room.

"Alright, start talking." He said as he searched for a phone.

"Jenna called me from his phone. And I know he's there because Jenna quoted Emily Dickinson."

"So?"

"She quoted the exact poem that's on Alison grave. Coincidence? I think not. Besides, it's Mother's Day and Toby planned to go there today." I replied. "And I need the phone as a backup, just in case. Oh and can you trace my and Toby's phones, I'm not sure what's gonna happen once I get there."

"I should probably try to stop you, but this needs to end. And I have a feeling this is gonna be the finale. Kick Jenna's ass for me." Caleb said as he handed me the phone.

"With pleasure." I smirked. "Thanks for your help."

"Thank me by coming back in one piece." He stated.

We shared a quick hug then I was back out the door as quickly as I came.

* * *

"Spencer Hastings, long time no see." Garrett commented when I entered the mausoleum.

"Not long enough." I stated. "Where's Toby?"

"What no small talk?" He asked and I just glared at him. "Follow me."

"Hello, Spencer," Jenna greeted me when I came around the corner, but I wasn't paying attention to her.

"What did you do to him?" I demanded when I saw Toby lying unconscious on the ground.

"He's fine; he'll wake up in a couple of hours." She told me.

"Will you let him live that long?" I asked.

The words barely made it out of my mouth, but I had to know.

"If you cooperate." She shrugged.

"Alright, you're in charge." I gave in, but only because it might keep Toby alive. "Now what?"

"You give Garrett your purse and cell phone. Then he'll escort you to the car. I just love Sunday afternoon drives in the country. Don't you?" She instructed. "Any questions?"

"Why here? Why knock him out when he's visiting his mother and why bring me here?"

"I know how you and your friends are. After I put Jason in the hospital I knew you would never leave someone by themselves. But I knew Toby would definitely come here no matter what was going on. Besides, I find it fitting that he was visiting his mom since both of you will be joining her soon. And I thought it would be nice if you went together and had a bittersweet ending. I'm not entirely heartless."

"I disagree, you are heartless. You killed Alison because of the way she treated people, but you're worse than she ever was." I told her.

"Watch it, Spencer, you agreed to cooperate." She warned me and started to reach for her gun.

"Alright, just don't hurt him." I said trying to keep the panic out of my voice.

I gave my purse and phone to Garrett, good thing I planned ahead and stopped by Caleb's. He then led me to the van and tied my arms and legs together. I tried to get free but the ropes were too tight and I couldn't quite reach the pocket knife I always kept on me. Both Jason and Toby made a big deal of me having one, guess they weren't overreacting after all.

A few minutes later Garrett returned and tossed Toby into the back with me before driving off to who knows where.

* * *

I don't know how much time really passed, but it felt like a whole day had passed since I talked with Jason in the hospital. We arrived at some cabin in the woods and Jenna showed up a few minutes behind us. It was too dark to see much. But there was a table a few feet from the chair I was tied to and a small bed which Toby was lying on, still unconscious and one arm tied to the frame of the bed.

I tried getting some answers out of them but neither would say anything. Jenna eventually left the room and since it was just Garrett, I decided to change tactics.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked him.

"You've already asked that question and I'm going to give you the same answer." He smirked.

"That's not what I meant. Why are _you_ doing this? Why are you helping Jenna? I'm sure she made a few friends in prison that could've helped her out."

"True, but no else knows her like I do. And she needs me. Who else can do all that I've done for her." He commented.

"She doesn't need you, she's using you. Just like last time. She dumped you as soon as she could see with both eyes. This won't be any different. She's going to kill Toby and I then turn around and do the same to you."

"Everyone thinks you're the smart one, but you don't know anything." He said quietly but I could hear the anger in his voice. "Jenna loves me, but she keeps getting distracted by her hatred and need to get rid of you. But once you're gone that won't be a problem."

"Who are you trying to convince, me or yourself?" I asked trying to get deeper under his skin.

"Shut up!" He yelled at me then aimed his gun at Toby. "Or never wakes up."

"What the hell is going on, Garrett? Can't I leave you alone for ten minutes?" Jenna came bursting into the room shouting, clearly annoyed.

"She…" Garrett started to explain.

"I heard the whole conversation!" She cut him off. "Make yourself useful and go set up outside."

Garrett glared at me then walked out as instructed.

"What are you doing?" I demanded when Jenna went over to Toby.

"He'll be waking up soon, and when he does he'll have one killer headache." She answered and set a glass of water and some pills on the floor next to the bed.

"What's Garrett doing outside?"

"You'll see soon enough." She smirked and then left the room again.

I never thought this would happen, but for once Jenna was right. Toby woke up about fifteen minutes later and thankfully seemed alright.

"Spence, are you alright?" That was the first thing that came out of his mouth.

"Yeah, I'm not the one that got knocked out." I told him.

"Okay, you have a point." He admitted. "I'm fine, just a little tired and dizzy. And my head is pounding like Hanna's knocking on the bathroom door and while you're in it."

"I've had that happen to me." I couldn't help but laugh despite the situation. "I don't know if I'd trust it, but Jenna did leave a glass of water and some pills that are supposed to help."

"I'll trust Jenna when the sky falls." He stated. "Do you have any idea where we are?"

"We're in a cabin in the woods. And in the middle of nowhere I'm guessing. There's a garage through that door with a van and one other vehicle. And through that other door is a kitchen, I think." I gave him what little facts I knew.

"It can't be." Toby whispered and shook his head.

"What?" I asked, immediately growing concerned.

"Jenna must either be really desperate or stupid."

"What do you mean?"

"I know where we are. And I know how to get out without them noticing." He replied.

"Really?" I asked trying to keep the excitement and hope out of my voice.

"Really." He nodded and we both grinned. "Come on, we probably don't have much time. Do you have your pocket knife?"

"Yes, but I can't reach it, it's in my shoe." I told him.

"Can you try and get closer to me? I can grab it with my free hand."

It was awkward but I managed to scoot the chair close enough to him that he could reach. He pulled out the knife and cut the ropes that tied me to the chair. After rubbing my sore wrists for a second, I took the knife from him and freed his hand.

"Okay now what?" I asked.

"I finally get the revenge I've been waiting for." Jenna smirked suddenly standing right in front of us.

"It's two against one, Jenna." I warned her.

"Please, Toby would never hit a girl." She laughed.

"He might not but I would." I told her.

I slapped her and she was completely shocked. Honestly, I don't know why she was. It wasn't the first time I'd done it and she knew I was itching for another chance. I took advantage of her shocked state and gave her shoulders a good shove and she landed on the floor.

"Garrett!" She screamed.

He came bursting through the garage door and was surprised to see that we were free. But when he saw that Jenna was on the ground and struggling to get up, he became angry and started firing his gun. Toby and I both got down on the ground to avoid getting shot.

"Stop shooting!" Jenna commanded.

But it was too late. Toby had already been hit in the leg. I crawled over to him to see how bad it was. He looked like he was in pain, but it could've been worse. He just needed to get to a doctor before it got infected or something.

"I want them alive, at least for a few more minutes. Get the can and the matches." Jenna told him.

He left and returned a few seconds later with a can of gas and a box of matches. I immediately caught on to Jenna's plan. I had to admit that it was pretty ingenious and definitely wouldn't end well for Toby and I.

"You can't trap us in here by setting it on fire, Jenna. I know lots of ways out of here. How do you think I disappeared when Dad brought us here?" Toby told her through gritted teeth.

"With that leg you might be able to get out in time, but you won't be able to save yourself and Spencer." She stated and gave Garrett a signal.

A second later Garrett grabbed my arms and dragged me up off the floor. He opened a door, tossed me in, and then locked the door. I was locked in another bathroom, great. At least I could see, unlike the time Ian shoved a crowbar in the door at the festival.

"You idiot!" I heard Jenna yell at him. "I wanted her in the closet NEXT to the bathroom because it's the only room without windows! And I already lit the fire so you can't fix you're mistake. Now move your useless butt and get out of here before we're the ones stuck in here."

I went to the window and it inched up slowly. Hopefully Toby realized I could escape through the window and wouldn't try to rescue me. But I knew he most likely would and that worried me. I'd never forgive myself if I got out but Toby was trapped in the cabin because of me.

* * *

 **Yes, I had Garrett shoot Toby. I really am sorry about that! But he'll** **be fine, don't worry! Anyway, Spencer and Toby have figured out Jenna's plan. Have you? Also will Spencer get out of the cabin? Will Toby try to save her? And what did Garrett set up outside?**

 **Next chapter has two new things. A POV I've never done before, so I hope i do it justice. And** **I'm bringing in a PLL character that I've never had in a story before. Hint: it's a male that knows Toby. I'll give you guys a peek at what's going on in next chapter if I get to 85 reviews. Which means only three more. So leave a review and I'd love to see your theories on what's happening :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**Caleb POV**

Spencer left and I got the third degree from Hanna as soon as I entered the living room. I told her what little I knew and assured her that Spencer and Toby would be fine, even though I wasn't sure about it.

After that she dozed off on the couch, which was also a bed so Hanna didn't have to go upstairs. I went into my office and traced Toby's phone as well as both of Spencer's. The signals showed that Toby's phone was inside the mausoleum but Spencer was outside.

Just then my phone started to ring, it was Spencer.

 _'Don't say anything, just listen.'_ Spencer whispered when I answered.

I heard some shuffling around then I heard her speaking to Jenna. The conversation went on for a few minutes then Spencer ended the call when she had to give her phone to Garrett. After that both Spencer and Toby's regular phones were shut off, but Spencer's backup phone was still on. I traced the signal for almost an hour but then they entered a wooded area and the signal wasn't as strong.

A few minutes later someone started knocking on the door for the second time today.

"What do you want?" I questioned when I saw Daniel Cavanaugh at the door.

"Are you Caleb Rivers?" He asked me.

"Yeah, I am. But you'd already know that if you paid more attention to your son." I told him.

"I know, but I'm here about Jenna, not that." He replied.

"She's a pretty popular topic lately." I stated. "But I'm busy so save the sob story of how she's a good girl that's done some bad things."

"I assure you, Caleb, that that is not why I came. Jenna plans to take Spencer hostage as revenge for the garage accident." He told me. "Now, do you know where I could find Toby?"

"Thanks for the warning." I said sarcastically. "But you're too late. Jenna has both Spencer and Toby."

"I was afraid of this." He sighed.

"I'm sure you are." I said to humor him. "Now excuse me, I'm busy trying to locate them."

"I could help with that." He offered.

"Doubt it." I stated.

"Hey, I might not have showed it these last few years, but I care about Toby. And I might not know computers, but I know Jenna." He argued.

He had a good point, he did know Jenna. That could have some use in the long run. Even though I couldn't stand Daniel Cavanaugh, I'd work with him if it helped Spencer and Toby.

"Okay, Spencer went to the cemetery because that's where Jenna got Toby. And she called me so I could hear the conversation. Jenna mentioned that a Sunday afternoon drive in the country would be nice or something." I filled him in as I led the way to my office.

"I traced Spencer's backup phone to here." I said and pointed to the computer. "It looks like a small building in the woods. But I don't know where."

"I do. That's my hunting cabin. It's about forty five minutes out of town and a couple miles from the road. Jenna will probably set it on fire with them in it. She's been trying to recreate the past lately." He told me.

"Yeah, I've noticed." I sighed, thinking about yesterday.

"You're good at knowing things. But are you any good with a gun?" I asked him.

"I said it was my _hunting_ cabin." He answered.

"Good." I nodded. "If you really want to help your son, grab one out of that safe over there and meet me by my car."

I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a note for Hanna. I left it next to her phone since she would definitely see it there. Then I called Mona and asked her to come over to keep an eye on Hanna while I was out. I grabbed a gun for myself and the car keys and went out to the car.

* * *

 **Spencer POV**

I finally got the window open enough for me to squeeze out. And just in time because the fire was starting to reach the bathroom door. I ran a few yards away from the cabin and then circled around to the front, hoping I could find Toby. I didn't see anybody and both the van and Jenna's other vehicle were missing from the garage. Luckily they left behind some tire tracks and I decided to follow them.

Eventually the two tracks split off and I realized one set was the vans and the other looked like they belonged to a motorcycle. I chose to follow that latter since Toby knew how to drive one and I doubted Jenna would ride together.

A little bit later I thought I saw a road in the distance. But I also saw something that was much closer and off the path. I realized what it was and came to a sudden stop. The motorcycle I had been following was wrecked on the ground. And the rider was lying unconscious, or dead, next to it. I hoped it was Jenna, but it was clearly a man. Next I hoped that it was Garrett wearing Toby's helmet.

I knelt down to see if the person was still breathing, and they weren't. But when I did I brushed against the body and the shirt rode up, exposing a certain tattoo. I didn't need to lift the helmet up to see the face. I could see the undeniable proof that it was Toby.

I backed away in shock and tried to convince myself that I was seeing things. But I knew that I wasn't. I started to sob even worse than yesterday when Jason had been shot.

"Crying won't bring him back, Spencer." Jenna stated, suddenly appearing behind me.

"You win." I said quietly through my tears. "Now, leave me alone."

"Believe it or not this was an accident. Toby took those pills for his headache. And you know what they say. Don't drive or operate heavy machinery after taking medication." Jenna said in a fake comforting tone.

"This wasn't an accident! You were the one that gave him that medicine! You planned this whole thing!" I stood up and screamed at her.

"I didn't plan things to happen this way. But my goals were still accomplished so I don't care either way." She shrugged.

She didn't care!? She was responsible for killing her stepbrother, my fiancé. And she was talking like something happened at work that turned into a happy accident. I was upset before but now I was angry and determined to make Jenna pay for what she did. I slapped her once again, but this time she ran instead of standing in shock.

I chased after her but she was too far ahead. I eventually tripped on a branch and landed hard on the ground. But I didn't bother to get back up. Jenna was right, he wasn't coming back, so what did it matter. I curled up in a ball with my arms wrapped around my knees and continued to cry.

* * *

 **Caleb POV**

"It shouldn't be too much farther. There will be a dirt road on the right side that you need to turn onto." Mr. Cavanaugh told me about a half hour later. I was driving on some back road and he was navigating.

"Okay, just give me another warning when we get close…what the heck it is that?" I asked and pointed to the sky.

It was evening and the sky was getting darker, but not that dark. And it wasn't a storm cloud either.

"It looks like smoke." Daniel confirmed my thoughts. "We're too late."

"No we're not. Spencer's smart she would find a way out or a way to buy time until help showed up. They got out of the garage all those years ago; they can get out of this now." I told him.

It wasn't that I was being optimistic. I just refused to believe that Toby and Spencer could be trapped in a burning cabin or dead.

About five minutes later we arrived at the cabin. The whole place was in flames and if anyone was in there…well you know.

"Okay, we're going to assume that they got out. But because they haven't called, it probably means that they're still in the woods because cell service isn't good here." I hypothesized.

"If that's the case, Toby knows these woods pretty well and he would mark a trail wherever they went." Daniel told me.

"Alright then, let's look around for them. Any ideas which direction we should head first?"

"We came from the east and didn't see anything. And those tire tracks head north probably going back around to the road we were on. But we're assuming they're on foot. My guess would be to go west. Toby knows that side of the woods pretty well and there's another back road a few miles away in that direction." He suggested.

"Good enough for me." I agreed and started heading west.

We searched for twenty minutes and found nothing. But we kept going because we didn't how much of a head start Spencer and Toby might have. We decided to venture off the main path a little in case they did the same to stay safe. About ten minutes later we got a big surprise, Toby's crashed motorcycle.

"No, no, I'm not seeing this." Mr. Cavanaugh shook his head.

"That's Toby's bike but the body isn't Toby." I told him.

"How do you know?" He asked me.

"He wouldn't have left Spencer and she wouldn't have left him. So Spencer should be lying there too and she's not." I stated and took off the helmet as more proof.

"Is that Garrett Reynolds?" He asked in surprise. "But he has Toby's tattoo. Why?"

I could also hear the relief that it wasn't Toby. Maybe he did care after all. Better late than never to show it I guess.

"Yeah, it's Garrett alright. And the tattoo is probably a temporary one. Now, why he has it is something I don't know."

"Never mind about Garrett, let's just find Spencer and Toby." He decided.

"There are footprints over there. Let's see where they lead." I suggested.

"Wait, you said Spencer and Toby wouldn't leave each other. But those set of footprints only look like female shoes." He pointed out.

"Oh no," I said quietly, realizing why Garrett had Toby's tattoo.

"What? What is it?"

"Spencer and Toby wouldn't willingly separate. But what if Jenna separated them and made Garrett look like Toby because she knew Spencer would be looking for him. Spencer probably came here saw the tattoo and ran off that way." I explained. "Come on, who knows what she'd do if she thinks he's dead."

I was a lot younger than Mr. Cavanaugh so I ran ahead of him to find Spencer.

"Found her!" I shouted out when I saw her.

"Spencer," I called her name and shook her shoulder but she didn't reply.

I rolled her over so I could see her face. She had a blank stare and tears streaming down her face. I snapped my fingers in her face a couple of times and got her to blink out of it.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked even though it felt like a stupid question.

"No, Toby…he…he's dead." She whispered and her lip started trembling.

"No, he's not, Spencer. The body you found was Garrett's. I can prove it, just let me show you." I told her.

"I can't…I can't look him again…I can't." She cried.

"Okay, you don't have to." I took it back. "But at least believe me when I tell you Toby is alive. Have I ever lied to you?"

She just shook her head.

"Right, now come with me and I'll take you back to my place until we find Toby and Jenna." I said as I helped her up.

* * *

 **So? What did you guys think of having most of this from Caleb's POV? And I know Mr. Cavanaugh and Caleb doesn't seem like a likely team but I wanted to patch things up with Toby and his dad before the wedding and this will help with that.**

 **And Toby is alive but Spencer doesn't quite believe Caleb yet. Next chapter though she'll realize that Toby didn't take the stuff for his headache. And you'll see where Jenna went after leaving Spencer in the woods. Clue: Jenna has been recreating major events in Rosewood (Ali's death & the garage fire) and has one more on her list. And think about what happened in the show when Spencer found Toby's "body". Thank you guys for your reviews last chapter! Keep it up :)**


	24. Chapter 24

**Toby POV**

Garrett grabbed Spencer and dragged her up off the floor. He opened a door and tossed her in the room while Jenna started the fire on the other side of the room.

"You idiot!" Jenna yelled when Garrett came back. "I wanted her in the closet NEXT to the bathroom because it's the only room without windows! And I already lit the fire so you can't fix you're mistake. Now move your useless butt and get out of here before we're the ones stuck in here."

Garrett helped me up, walked me to the garage, and threw me in the back of the van. If my leg wasn't so bad I could have fought him but there was nothing I could do at this point. I hated feeling useless, I hated that I couldn't save Spencer. All I could do was hope Spencer would find a way out the window.

"Stop and pull over here." Jenna told Garrett about ten minutes later. "And give me the gun."

"Why? I thought I was gonna kill him because you missed Jason yesterday." Garrett questioned her but gave her the gun anyway.

"I did not miss!" She yelled at him and got out of the van.

"And even if I was a little off, there's no way I'd miss now, not when I'm this close." She continued as she opened the back door of the van.

"Jenna, you can't shoot him in the van! Do you know how hard that'll be to clean up?" Garrett lectured her.

"I'm not going to shoot him in the van." Jenna rolled her eyes. "In fact, I'm not going to shoot him at all."

"But our plan was to…no!"

"Yes, Garrett, but it's nothing personal. You're just no longer useful to me and you know how I feel about leaving loose ends. Remember what happened to Ian?" She told him.

"You wouldn't." Garrett said slowly backing away.

"I would." Jenna stated as she fired her gun.

I closed my eyes, but it was too late, I had already seen Garrett fall to the ground. I'd probably never get that image out of my mind. But I opened my eyes again when I heard Jenna get into the back of the van.

"Stay here while I get rid of him." Jenna instructed and tied my hands together.

"Why don't you just kill me now?" I asked her.

"I have one more scene I need to recreate and you're going to be the star of the show."

With that she got out of the van and started to drag Garrett's dead body further into the woods.

* * *

 **Spencer POV**

"No!" I screamed and then woke up from my dream.

Actually it was more like a nightmare. I kept seeing Toby's body lying in the woods and I couldn't get Jenna's words out of my head.

"Caleb, she's awake." I turned my head to see Hanna sitting next to me. "How are you feeling, Spence?"

"Like the person that means more to me than anything just died." I whispered not wanting to talk about it.

"Spencer, Toby's alive. That body you saw in the woods was Garrett not Toby." Caleb came over and told me.

"No, Caleb, Toby's dead. He crashed the motorcycle because he took the…" I started to argue until I realized something. "He didn't. He never took the medicine. And the body didn't have a bloody leg. Toby's alive."

"Yeah, that's what we've been trying to tell you, Spence. We're gonna find Toby and he's gonna be fine." Caleb assured me.

"Now, what do you mean about Toby, medicine, and a bloody leg?" Mr. Cavanaugh asked.

I still couldn't believe he had come all this way for Toby. And I wasn't sure I trusted him yet, but Caleb seemed to so he couldn't be that bad.

"Jenna said it was accident. That Toby shouldn't have been driving after taking medication. She gave him some pills to help his headache, but he never took them because he didn't trust her. And Toby got shot in the leg by Garrett. I slapped and shoved her on the ground so Garrett started shooting."

"You slapped her and shoved her on the ground?" Hanna asked. "You are my favorite person ever!"

She then gave me a hug, which was awkward with her baby bump and the way we were sitting on the couch/bed, but we managed.

"Do you have any idea where they would be, Spencer? The police are searching around but you know how useful they are." Caleb asked.

"No, but I know a way to find Toby." I replied.

"How?" Mr. Cavanaugh asked me.

"When Toby was shot I went to see if he was alright. I put my phone in his pocket."

"Spencer, you're a genius!" Caleb told me and headed for his office to trace the phone.

"Hey! What about me?" Hanna yelled out when Mr. Cavanaugh and I followed Caleb.

"Can't you do this any faster?" I questioned Caleb a few minutes later.

"I'm going as fast as I can. Why don't you wait with Hanna before she gets up and comes in here?"

Hanna did need to be watched, but it was really his way of getting me out of the room. I knew I was driving him a little crazy, but I couldn't help it.

"He kicked you out didn't he?" Hanna asked knowingly.

"Not exactly, but yeah." I admitted and sat down next to her. "Who are you texting?"

"Mona, she was with me earlier but left when you guys got back. You were pretty much asleep standing up. Anyway she wants to know what's going on." She told me. "And I know how you feel. Caleb always ends up telling me to go away when I'm in the computer room."

"Really? I can't imagine why." I asked with fake surprise.

Both of us started laughing despite the situation. But it felt good to be worry free for just a few seconds. I needed the tension relief…and coffee.

I got up to make myself some and a decaf tea for Hanna. About five minutes later I came back into the living and just as I sat down Caleb came rushing in.

"I found Toby." He announced.

"Where is he?" I questioned him.

"Radley."

"What? Why would he be there? And at one in the morning?" I wondered.

"I don't know, but we're gonna find out." He stated. "Are you up for this?"

"Another chance to hit Jenna, of course." I smirked and got up to pour my coffee into a to-go cup.

"Ready?" Caleb asked.

"Yeah, but what about Hanna?"

"I told Mona to come back over." Hanna answered me. "Give Jenna one for me."

"I will." I told her and gave her a quick hug then followed Caleb and Mr. Cavanaugh to the car.

* * *

 **Toby POV**

I blinked my eyes open and hadn't even realized I'd passed out. I looked around and tried to figure out where I was, but I couldn't. I just know I was near the edge of a roof top. The pain in my leg was still there and I'd fall over the edge if I tried to stand. I also heard music coming from somewhere that seemed familiar, but I couldn't place it.

"You're finally awake. Now, I can finish this." Jenna commented.

"Finish what?" I asked.

"I told you, I have one last event to recreate. So here we are where it all started, Radley." She told me.

I wasn't sure what she meant by 'it all started here'. But I had a pretty good idea what she was planning to recreate.

"My mom jumped, but I'm sure not about to do that." I told her and figured out that the music was a cd of my mom playing the piano.

"Your mom didn't jump, Toby. And you would know that if you read those papers I sent you instead of burning them." She stated in annoyance. "Your mom was pushed and someone got Detective Wilden to cover it up."

I gasped in shock, not believing what Jenna had told me. My mom didn't kill herself? She was pushed?

"So you see, just like I used Jason instead Ali, I'm going to use you instead of your mommy."

"You killed my mom." I whispered.

"I didn't, but I know who did. It was Bethany Young, a patient here at Radley, my sister." She stated.

"Your what? How?"

"Let's just say that your daddy wasn't the first guy my mom remarried." She replied.

"Why? Why would she do that? What did my mother ever do to her?" I questioned her.

I was angry at her that all along she had known the truth. And I was angry at myself for believing that my mom had chosen to leave me. That wasn't the case at all; she was taken away from me. And by Jenna's sister of all people.

"If I told you I'd have to kill you." She smirked.

"You're going to do that anyway." I pointed.

"Bethany wanted something and your mom got in the way." She shrugged like it didn't matter.

"What did she want that meant killing someone!?" I yelled at her.

"She wanted to get out of this place. And when she heard that your mom was getting better and wanted to go home, she decided to make her move. Your mom came up here the night she died and Bethany followed her. She told your mom that she had to get her out of Radley when she was released or she'd hurt you the next time you visited. Your mom refused and told her to stay away from you or else. Bethany saw that your mom wouldn't change her mind. She got angry and pushed her over the edge."

Spencer had asked me two weeks ago what Jenna's message meant about my mom protecting me. I had no idea then, but I did now. My mom died protecting me. I felt guilty for thinking some of the things I had over the past nine years. How did I go nine years not knowing the truth?

"So you're telling me that murder, insanity, and blackmail runs in the family then." I stated sarcastically, trying not to show the all the emotions I was feeling in front of Jenna.

"Bethany wasn't insane!" She yelled at me. "She was just angry at our mom for leaving her dad even though she was only a baby when it happened. She acted out and made threats. One day our mom got tired of it and threw her in here. That's how she met your dad a few years later."

After that last bit of information I felt like I would be sick. First I find out my mom was murdered and now this?

"Who convinced Wilden to cover it up?" I asked, needing to know who would do such a thing.

"My dad had just divorced my mom and she was fooling around Wilden when it happened. And as it happens, Mrs. DiLaurentis was having an affair with Bethany's father and she had a hand in the cover up as well."

The news about Jessica DiLaurentis wasn't a surprise. Was there anyone in Rosewood that she didn't have an affair with?

"Now you know everything. And now it's time for you and your mom to have a little reunion." She stated as she pulled me up and held me over the edge.

"Don't do it, Jenna. You push me over right now and we'll both fall. If you die, you won't get to kill Spencer and the others. Isn't that what you wanted?" I pointed out to her even though I hated speaking those words.

But it distracted her and I was able to kick her legs out from under her with my good leg. Both us fell down, back onto the roof not off of it. I fell on top of Jenna and quickly got off of her but kept her arms pinned down.

"Toby!" I looked over and saw Spencer coming onto the roof.

This time I was the one that was distracted and Jenna took advantage. She kicked me in the gut and I landed on the ledge. She then got up and shoved me as hard as she could over the edge. But I wasn't the only one that went over. At the last second I grabbed on to Jenna's arm and dragged her down with me.

* * *

 **Dun dun dun! Both Toby and Jenna went over the edge. Who will die and who will survive? Or will there be no survivors?**

 **I can't believe this story has 90 reviews! I'm really excited that it's so close to 100! Thanks you so much everybody! I appreciate that you've taken the time to r &r this. And I'm really sorry about the ending but what's PLL without suspense and drama. I know some of you thought Marion was alive and I did want to try that. But this worked better and gave Jenna reason to do what she did. And you'll find out a little more about Bethany later on. Thanks again everybody :D**


	25. Chapter 25

We got to Radley and Caleb messed with the security system. But I couldn't wait and ran around to the fire escape. In the car I realized why Jenna had taken Toby to Radley. There were a lot of tragedies that occurred in Rosewood and the biggest were the fire, Alison's death, and the suicide of Marion Cavanaugh.

I got up to the roof and my theory was confirmed. Toby had Jenna pinned to the ground and they were both very close to the edge, too close.

"Toby!" I yelled and ran towards the opposite side of the roof.

But I quickly realized I had made a mistake. Toby looked up at me and lost focus on Jenna. She took it as an opportunity to kick him in the gut. Surprisingly she had a lot of strength, and she used that strength to shove Toby. And to my horror I watched as Toby fell off the roof, but not before taking Jenna with him.

"NOOOOOOOO!" I screamed and my legs were no longer able to hold me up.

It was like a repeat of earlier tonight, except worse because I had seen it but wasn't able to do anything.

"Spencer!" I heard Toby call my name.

But I was just imagining it, right? There was no way he could have survived that fall.

"Spencer!" He called again.

Twice couldn't be imagination. Could it? I got up off the ground and walked over to the edge. I hesitantly looked over the edge and gasped. There he was hanging from a window sill about two floors down. And once again relief washed over me at the fact that he was alive.

"Toby, oh my soul, are you alright?" I called down to him.

"Yeah, but I don't know how much longer I can hold on." He told.

"I'll get help. Just please, don't let go." I replied then ran to the door.

I went down two floors and found Caleb and Mr. Cavanaugh already there, probably headed to meet me on the top.

"Spencer, did you find them?" Caleb asked me.

"Jenna shoved him off the roof. But he caught the edge of a window on this floor." I told them and pointed to the room I believed it was.

"And just how do you expect to get into someone's room when it took me six minutes to get through the front door security?" Caleb questioned.

"Actually that isn't a patient room. I believe it's a storage room." Mr. Cavanaugh told us.

"Great, luck seems to be on our side for once." I commented and got a couple of bobby pins and put them in the lock.

"Spencer, there's no way that's actually gonna…" Caleb started to comment. "Work."

Under different circumstances I would have given him a smug grin or said something sarcastic. But Toby was the only thing on my mind right now. I hoped that I hadn't taken too long and hopefully it was the right door. I went straight for the window and started opening it. Again it was luck that this was the storage closest and the windows weren't barred.

"Toby?" I asked as I looked down, hoping to see him hanging on and not lying beside Jenna on the pavement below.

"I'm here, Spence." He answered.

"Step aside, Spencer. I've got him." Mr. Cavanaugh told me and I was a bit surprised.

Nevertheless I stepped aside and let him pull Toby up. I didn't like Mr. Cavanaugh for a lot of reasons why. Number one being that he cared more about Jenna than his own son. But all those reasons were forgotten when he pulled Toby through the window, to safety.

"Dad?" Toby looked up at him in shock. "What…what are you doing here?"

"It's a long story, but it's not important right now." Mr. Cavanaugh shook his head. "Are you alright?"

"I will be, but Jenna won't. I tried to hold on to her but she…slipped. I'm sorry." Toby told him.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Jenna got what was coming to her." His father told him and everyone looked at him in surprise.

"Yeah, don't blame yourself. You tried and that's a lot more than I would have done." Caleb told him.

I had waited while Toby had his little moment with his dad, but I couldn't wait any longer. I ran over to him and hugged him as tightly as I could.

"Don't ever scare me like that again." I whispered into his shoulder.

"I'm…"

"And don't say you're sorry." I interrupted knowing that's what he would say.

"I won't. I promise." He assured me and I understood both meanings. "Are you alright? And don't say you're fine."

"I'm okay, and I'll be even better once you're taken care of." I told him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

I was grateful to Mr. Cavanaugh but I didn't feel comfortable giving a Toby a real kiss in front of him yet.

"He'll be taken care of soon, Spence. An ambulance is only a few minutes away." Caleb told me and I nodded in thanks. "If I ever step foot in this place again it'll be too soon. I don't know how you did it as much as you did, Toby."

"It wasn't easy but it was worth it." Toby told him.

A couple minutes later the police and the ambulance arrived. I was highly annoyed when the ambulance drove off with Toby to the hospital but I had to stay behind for more police questioning. But Caleb drove us to the hospital as soon as we were done with the police.

* * *

"Toby," I said quietly and gently shook his shoulder.

"Hey, what took you so long?" He asked, slightly teasing, once he opened his eyes.

"You know I never would have left your side I if had things my way right?" I asked him, stupid police questioning.

"I know." He replied and squeezed my hand. "Where are Caleb and my dad? Are they okay?"

"Yeah, Caleb went back to tell Hanna and Mona what happened. He wanted to make sure you were alright first, but Hanna was calling him every two minutes." I told him. "As for your dad, he's in the parking lot on the phone with your stepmom. And she is not happy."

"I can imagine. I'm surprised my dad left her behind and came here in the first place. Why did he come?" Toby wondered.

"You'd have to ask him that. I haven't talked to him much." I answered.

"Let me guess, you didn't give him the time of day?" He asked knowingly, and I nodded.

Honestly, I felt a little bad for not trusting Mr. Cavanaugh earlier and giving him the cold shoulder. Who knows how long it would've taken Caleb to find me if he wasn't with him. And Caleb could've pulled Toby through the window but it was good to have another person around.

And now it was sort of impossible to doubt that he did care about his son.

"I would've been the same towards him if things our roles were reversed. But I'm glad they weren't, I don't know what I'd have done if Jenna hurt you."

"Nothing happened to me." I assured him and gave him a long needed kiss.

Well, nothing physically happened to me really. But I wasn't about to tell him what I found in the woods, even if it did turn out to be Garrett with a fake tattoo.

"Are you sure about that?" He asked me, seeing that something wasn't right.

"Of course, I'm fit as a fiddle compared to you. Speaking of which, what has your doctor said?" I changed the subject.

"That I'm lucky it didn't get infected since I didn't get it treated sooner. But I'll be fine. And you can question my doctor for the finer details later." He told me.

"Oh you can count on that." I laughed and then grew serious. "But for now, I don't need details. After believing twice in only a few hours that I lost you, I just need to know that you're okay."

"Twice?"

"It's a long story. One I'm not quite ready relive just yet." I replied quietly.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere, Spence." He promised and gave me a gentle and comforting kiss.

* * *

"Good morning, Hanna." I said several hours later when I woke up.

I spent about an hour with Toby then left with Caleb. I didn't want to leave but Toby talked me into it. When I got to Hanna and Caleb's I crashed as soon as my head hit the pillow.

"More like good afternoon. It's almost one thirty." Hanna informed me. "But don't freak out, you went through all lot and deserve sleep more than anyone. You already look better than you did last night. But how are you really? And how's Toby? All Caleb said was that he's fine."

"I'm alright, considering the circumstances. And Toby will be okay." I replied.

I then told her what the doctor had told me. But apparently I was being too technical and all she got was that he would be on crutches for a bit.

"He's not going to have the crutches at the wedding will he? You know, it's only a month and two days from today." Hanna pointed.

"I haven't even thought about the wedding. I've just been trying to make sure we're both alive. But he doesn't have a broken bone so he should be off of them by then." I told her. "But it doesn't even matter to me whether he is or isn't."

"Same, but it would make for some cool photos if he was. Just imagine the stories you could tell your kids one day." Hanna joked, perfectly lightening the mood like she always did.

"I don't know about that, I wouldn't want to scare them." I said.

Then I started to picture what it would be like to have kids. I could see them being scared and running to our bed in the middle of the night. Then Toby getting up and checking for monsters under the bed. I could also see us going up to the hill as a family for a picnic and going to the beach for a summer vacation.

I always wanted to be married before I thought about kids, but as Hanna had pointed out it wasn't that far away. And I smiled at the thought of a newborn with a six-pack in the hopefully soon future. But I'd talk with Toby about it first, and unfortunately now didn't seem like the right time to have that conversation.

"So, Jenna's really gone this time." Hanna stated.

"She's really gone." I nodded in relief.

I felt a little badly that Jenna was dead. But only because Toby felt like it was his fault, which it was not. He tried to hold onto her but anyone else would have just let her fall.

"I'm glad we don't have to worry anymore. But I was looking forward to you and Toby staying with us for a bit." Hanna commented.

"Caleb didn't tell you?" I asked in surprise.

"Tell me what?"

"We talked and Toby and I are still gonna stay here. You're still on bed rest and need company and the loft has a lot of stairs which would be a nuisance since Toby's on crutches. It just makes sense, plus our stuff is here. And Toby's dad needs a place to stay so he'll be in the loft while we're here." I told her.

"Yes!" Hanna cheered. "This is gonna be so much fun! And now it'll be under way better circumstances."

"Yeah, now I'll be able to enjoy it more." I agreed.

"Hey, when will Toby be out of the hospital?" She asked and she looked like she was planning something.

"We're not sure yet. But it'll be before the weekend for sure." I told her.

"If he's out of the hospital by Thursday, you know what we should do right?" She hinted.

"Thursday night video game competition." I stated. "We definitely should. But we need to get some practice in. I don't know about you but I haven't played much lately."

"Same here, the controller and games are in the ottoman." She told me and before long we were into the game and ready to kick our guys' butts.

* * *

 **Yay! Toby is alive and Jenna is dead! Who's happy about that? Lol I think I already the answer. I hope you enjoyed that this chapter had a little bit of everything. I figured everyone could use a little Spanna fun and Spoby fluff. Next chapter has a lot of Spoby and Spencer has a talk with Mr. Cavanaugh. And you will see the video game night soon as well. Thanks for the great reviews! Keep it up :)**


	26. Chapter 26

Thursday came and I was beginning to feel just as cooped up as Hanna. Other than visits to the hospital, I hardly stepped foot out of the house. The newest 'Jenna Thing' had caused a huge stir in this small town. Everywhere I went I felt like I was an attraction at a carnival with the way people stared and whispered.

"Spencer, Toby's dad is here to talk to you." Caleb told me while I was making some coffee.

"Okay, tell him I'll talk to him in here." I told him.

"Right, nothing stops you when you're making coffee." He joked and I throw a used napkin at him.

"Wow that was really mature. I thought you were graduating college not kindergarten?" He shot back.

"Funny, I could say the same about you. I think it's pretty immature that you're so jealous about graduation." I stated. My graduation was this Saturday but Caleb's wasn't until the following Saturday since he attended a different university.

"Whatever," He blew me off and left the kitchen.

"Hello, Mr. Cavanaugh." I greeted him when he walked in a minute later.

"Hello, Spencer. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute. Has Toby said anything to you about his stepmother?" He asked as we sat down at the kitchen table.

"Not lately," I shook my head.

"Well, she and I…she's been arrested because she knew about Jenna's plans and helped her. And since you're parents are lawyers…"

"Look, I appreciate what you did for Toby. I can never thank you enough. But if you want me to ask them to defend your wife that's not gonna happen." I interrupted him and stated firmly.

"No, no, that's not what I was getting at. I want to get a divorce. Now, I know your parents aren't divorce lawyers, but I trust them and I was hoping that they can at least give me some advice in the matter." He explained.

"Usually when I hear someone's getting a divorce I feel sorry. But quite frankly, in this case, I'm not." I told him honestly. It was about time in my opinion.

"I'm only sorry I didn't do this sooner. I've been thinking about it a lot since February, Marion loved that month. Maybe a lot of this could have been avoided if I had done it then." He commented.

"Jenna was determined to do this. That wouldn't have stopped her." I told him. "But as far as lawyers go, I recommend my mom over my dad. She'd be more helpful and understanding to the case than my dad would since she likes Toby and my dad just sees him as the guy I'm with."

"Nobody's good enough for daddy's little girl?"

"No, that's not it. He just expected me to marry a doctor, a lawyer, or the son of one of his clients or business partners. Not a carpenter that runs a little furniture store. He's not as bad as he used to be but you'll never catch them watching football together on Thanksgiving."

"I'm sorry, about the way I reacted to the news that you and Toby were engaged. I let Jenna's opinion of you cloud mine. I can see now why he cares about you so much. You remind me of Marion. And I'm happy for the two of you." He told me.

"Thank you, I'm sure Toby would appreciate hearing that." I commented.

"Speaking of Toby, he's set to come home today isn't he?" He asked and I nodded. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather be at the loft? I don't want to impose and I could easily stay at the motel."

"I'm sure both of us would rather be at the loft, but it wouldn't be practical. And you're not imposing. Even though you haven't been a big part of his life, Toby would never turn out family."

"Yes, that's something he gets from Marion. A lot of his personality comes from her; she was a much better parent than I was." He told me. "Well, I need to be going. I'll stop by soon to see Toby. And thank you for the advice about your mom. I'll give her a call later."

I walked Mr. Cavanaugh to the door then went back to the kitchen to finish my coffee.

* * *

Finally after a few more hours passed I was on my way to the hospital. Hopefully for the last time, until Hanna had her baby of course. I talked to Toby's doctor and found out what I needed to and then we were on our way to Hanna and Caleb's.

"Toby," I called and gently shook his shoulder. "Toby, wake up we're here."

"Sorry, I didn't even realize I fell asleep." He apologized and yawned.

"It's okay. Let's get you in the house, prove to Hanna that you're alright, and then you can take a nap." I told him then I stepped out of the car and got his crutches from the backseat.

We got to the door and Caleb opened it for us.

"Hey, Toby, good to see you." Caleb said as he moved so we could get in.

"You too, Caleb, and thanks again for letting us stay here." Toby replied.

"Don't mention it." Caleb told him.

"Caleb, are they here?" I heard Hanna shout.

"We're here, Hanna, and we'll be there in just a minute." I yelled back.

"I'll go keep her busy so she doesn't come running in here." Caleb sighed. "But don't feel rushed by Hanna. Take your time."

"Toby, I'm really sorry. I would have seen you in the hospital, but I couldn't because of this stupid bed rest thing. Thankfully, I can finally go out on Saturday. Oh, and I never would have let Spencer go after Jenna by herself if I could go out. That wasn't the brightest idea she's ever had." Hanna rambled excitedly when we got into the living room.

I could also tell she was dying to give us a hug but Caleb had his arm wrapped around her to keep her from tackling us.

"Yeah, I know that wasn't smart. I've been told several times." I replied and looked at Toby.

He was not happy when I told him how I went to the cemetery by myself when Jenna called.

"I just hope we're never in a situation like that again." Toby commented and we all nodded. "And if we are, I'm not letting us get separated."

"Well, would you mind being separated under different circumstances?" Hanna wondered and both Toby and Caleb gave her a questioning look.

"What do you mean?" Toby asked her wearily.

"I mean, it's a Thursday and all of us are here together. Does anything come to mind?" Hanna hinted.

"Guys versus girls video game night!" Toby and Caleb both said and the same time and they looked like two little kids on Christmas morning.

"Yep, but don't get too excited. We're not doing it until tonight, keeping with tradition." Hanna told them.

"Fine with me, it'll be nice to do something for old time's sake that's fun after the bad stuff Jenna recreated." Caleb commented and we nodded in agreement.

"Well, since we aren't doing this until later, I think I'm going to catch up on some sleep so Caleb doesn't have to beat the girls alone." Toby said.

"Hey, you are not going to beat us! And Caleb wouldn't beat us singlehandedly. I've learned a lot of his tricks." Hanna stated defensively. "But yeah, go get some sleep; you look like you could use it."

I went down the hall ahead of Toby and opened the door for him. There was a small guest bedroom next to Caleb's office that we would be staying in. I felt bad that we had a bedroom while Hanna slept in the living room. But apparently this bed hurt her back so she wanted us to stay in here.

"Do you need anything?" I asked Toby once he was settled.

"You." He replied. "I know you're probably not tired, but would you mind staying?"

"Of course not," I shook my head.

I quickly grabbed a book then got in on the right side of the bed since it was his left leg that was injured. I held the book in one hand while the other one lightly played with his hair. And Toby was sound asleep within minutes.

* * *

About two hours later Toby woke up with a start.

"Toby! Are you alright?" I asked in alarm.

"Yeah, just a dream." He shook his head and rubbed his eyes.

"What was it about?"

"Nothing, I don't even remember." He shrugged but I knew that wasn't the case.

I set my book down and curled up next to him.

"You're not the only one you know." I told him and kissed his cheek.

"What?"

"Nightmares. You're not the only one that gets them." I said quietly.

I knew where this conversation would probably head, but I said it anyway.

"Jenna's gone, Spence. And I promise I would never jump off a roof." He assured.

"I know that." I nodded. "But that's not what my nightmares are about."

"Then what?" He asked with a puzzled expression.

"When I got out of the cabin, I started following tire tracks. I found your motorcycle. It was wrecked and there was a body lying beside it." I told him quietly.

"How did get there? I certainly wasn't driving it?"

"I think it was the other vehicle Jenna drove. And I think Garrett drove it to that spot in the woods when Jenna told him to set up outside." I replied.

"And he didn't even know she was having him cover up his own death." He shook his head. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I can't even imagine if I was the one that stumbled across that."

"It was pretty shocking. But it gets worse." I sighed.

"What could be worse than finding Garrett's body in the woods?" He wondered curiously.

"I didn't know it was Garrett. I thought it was you." I whispered the last part so quietly I wasn't sure he could hear me.

"Spence," He said, with a little shock in his voice, as he wrapped his arms around me to comfort me. "I had no idea that's what she was going to do after she shot Garrett. I'm so sorry, Spencer. I should have gotten away and tried to find you and let you know that I was okay. Instead I just passed out from the pain."

"Don't." I whispered as I shook my head. "Don't blame yourself, I don't. There was nothing you could have done."

"I know. I hated feeling so useless that night." He sighed.

"But there's something you can do for me now." I told him.

"What's that?" He asked as he brushed a few tears from my cheeks.

"Stay with me." I answered. "I need you, Toby, more than anything else. If it weren't for Caleb and your dad who knows how long I would have stayed in the woods. I probably would've become a patient at Radley instead of going there to stop Jenna."

"I need you too, Spence. And you'll never be alone, not even for a second." He promised me then captured my lips in a kiss.

We kissed for several minutes, expressing emotions and making up for lost time. We hadn't kissed like this since we were in the hospital hallway before visiting Hanna the day she came home. That seemed like a lifetime ago instead of four days.

"Hey, are you guys…uh-oh." Hanna came in and we abruptly ended things.

"Hanna! What are you doing here?" I questioned her and quickly sat up.

"I was going to ask if you were hungry and where to get takeout from." She replied.

"No, I mean what are you doing up?" I clarified.

"I can walk around a little bit. How else do you think I get to the bathroom?" She told me.

"But this isn't the bathroom." I pointed out.

"So I took a little detour. If you wanted privacy you should have taken the nursey upstairs." She shrugged. "Now, do you guys want food or not?"

"Yes, we do." Toby answered. "You and Caleb can choose the take out place. And Spencer and I will be out in a minute."

"All I needed to know." Hanna smiled and then left.

"I guess there's no returning to what we were previously doing?" I asked rhetorically.

"I don't think so." Toby shook his head and laughed. "But there's always later."

I smiled and gave him one more kiss before passing him his crutches.

* * *

 **Toby's home! I hope you all enjoyed that long needed Spoby at the end. Well until Hanna interrupted that is. Who do you think will win the video game? The guys or the girls?** **You'll see who won next chapter, as well as what bets they made. It'll be a mostly fun chapter, especially since Jason will be in it ;)**

 **BTW I just wanted to let you guys know that I won't be updating later this week due to the holiday. So Happy Thanksgiving in advance. I'm thankful for everyone that has read, followed, favorited, and reviewed this story. It's starting to come to an end I appreciate those that have stuck with it from the beginning. And** **I'd be really thankful (and super excited) if this had 100-120 reviews by the time it finishes.**


	27. Chapter 27

_"So tomorrow you're starting your senior year. Are you excited?" Toby asked me as we sat on our hill._

 _"Yeah, I am. The girls and I decided that we would make senior year amazing. And after this year I'll finally be off to college and doing something my parents will be proud of."_

 _"Spencer, your parents already are proud of you. They might not be the best at showing it but they are."_

* * *

"I'm so proud of you, Spencer. Congratulations, Sweetie!" My mom told me.

Today was my college graduation and I just joined the group outside after the ceremony.

"Thanks, Mom." I smiled and gave her a hug.

"I'm proud of you too, Champ." My dad stated.

I was surprised to hear him say that. He wasn't happy with me when I told him I wouldn't be going to law school. After Melissa had Taylor she decided not to work at my parents' law firm. Instead she worked as a secretary in Philly. Since then my dad had been trying to push me towards becoming a lawyer. So he wasn't happy that I wasn't following in his 'perfect' footsteps either.

Back in high school that might have bothered me, but it didn't now. I knew that helping the blind and visually impaired, just like several people helped me, was what I wanted to do.

"Hey, your parents aren't the only ones that are proud of you." Toby spoke up.

"Are you sure? I can't possibly think of anyone else that would be." I questioned him teasingly.

"What am I going to do with you?" He shook his head and laughed.

"Marry me in four weeks." I whispered in his ear as I gave him a hug.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." He replied and gave me a kiss. "And in all seriousness, I really am proud of you. I know how hard you've worked to get here."

"Thank you," I smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Okay, enough with the PDA." Hanna announced. "What did you forget about us? We're proud of you too!"

"No, I'd never forget about you girls, not that you'd ever let me." I laughed and gave each of them a hug.

Everyone was here except Emily and Maya. Their college graduation was today as well, but we'd video-chat with them later and celebrate together.

"We're really happy for you, Spence, congratulations." Aria said.

"Yeah, even Caleb's happy for you. Aren't you, Honey?" Hanna stated and gave Caleb a look.

"Yes, Hanna, I couldn't be happier." Caleb said humoring her then turned to me. "Congratulations, Spencer, you deserve a reward for how hard you've worked to get here."

"Thanks, Caleb, and it does feel good to finally be at the finish line." I told him, knowing what he said was real despite the teasing a few days ago.

* * *

 _After dinner on Thursday night Caleb immediately started setting up the game system. We chose a game that Caleb had gotten fairly recently and he had beaten it but he hadn't mastered it yet. He thought it would make things fair for Hanna and me. But he didn't know this was one of the two games Hanna and I had practiced for three days. And we weren't about to tell him either._

 _"No way!" "What the hell just happened!?" Toby and Caleb yelled when the game ended._

 _"You just got totally crushed by girls." I told him with a smug grin._

 _"And not just any girls, your wife and her best friend." Hanna rubbed in._

 _"Yeah, but how?" Toby asked. "Spencer, you haven't touched a video game in months."_

 _"I know." Caleb sighed. "You two where practicing. I should have known something was up when I came home yesterday and you were playing a game. I just thought you were desperate to keep Hanna occupied."_

 _"I was. It's called killing two birds with one stone." I replied._

 _"That's Spencer, queen of multitasking." Hanna commented._

 _"I can't argue with that." Toby shook his head. "Good game, girls."_

 _Toby then gave Hanna a side hug and me a short kiss. He was always a good sport for the most part, but Caleb didn't like losing, especially at video games because that was his area of expertise._

 _"Yeah, good game." Caleb mumbled._

 _"We did play pretty good didn't we?" Hanna complimented herself. "Now, since we won you boys have to hold up your end of the deal."_

 _Usually we bet money or the losers treat the winners to dinner or something. But this time we decided to do something different. If Hanna and I had lost, Hanna wouldn't be allowed to wear any designer clothes and I wouldn't be allowed to drink extra strong coffee for three days. But we won and the boys lost. So Toby couldn't wear a shirt until Saturday and Caleb couldn't complain about me graduating a week before him anymore._

 _"Fine," Caleb sighed. "I hope you enjoy graduation on Saturday, Spence."_

 _"Thank you, Caleb, I will." I smirked then I turned to Toby. "Your turn, Tobes."_

 _"Why do I have a feeling that I'm never getting this back?" Toby asked as he pulled his shirt over his head._

 _"Because you won't." I smiled as I took the shirt from him._

 _"Alright, I'm out of here. I know what happens when Toby goes shirtless and I'm not sticking around to watch." Caleb announced as he stood up. "See you two later and fyi this house has thin walls."_

 _Hanna started cracking up at his last statement and Toby just rolled his eyes._

 _"Yeah, I noticed that last night, twice." I stated in reply._

 _Caleb eyes were suddenly focused on the ground and he quickly left the room._

* * *

"I can't believe you're done college. Do you have any idea how old this makes me feel?" Jason asked me a few hours later.

My parents made reservations at the club and everyone was invited to celebrate.

"Don't worry you still look young, Jason. Although…" I paused and squinted as I looked at his hairline. "Is that a gray hair?"

"Hahaha very funny, Spencer." Jason rolled his eyes.

"No, I'm not kidding, Jason." I shook my head. "But it can't be that surprising. I mean I've seen how much of a handful Jay can be sometimes."

"You know, speaking of Jay, I should go see what trouble he's getting into. I don't want Cece to give me the talk later about not doing my share of parenting." He said. "Congratulations though, Spence, you did good."

"Thanks, Jason." I smiled and gave him a quick hug.

After that he left to 'go find Jay'. But really he headed straight for the men's room, probably to check for gray hairs.

"Your brother is getting weirder and weirder." Toby stated as he came over to Melissa and me a few minutes later.

"Tell us something we don't know." I rolled my eyes.

"What did he do now?" Melissa asked.

"He walked into the men's room mumbling. And I might be wrong but he said something about dye, as in hair dye. He stared at himself in the mirror for a minute, looked relieved, and then looked like he wanted to punch someone." He told us.

"Hair dye? Oh wow!" I shook my head and started laughing.

"What the hell? Why are on earth would he dye his hair?" Melissa questioned.

"I was talking to him right before he went to the bathroom. He said my graduation was making him feel old. So I decided to tease him and tell him that he had a gray hair." I explained between laughs.

"Okay, that makes sense." Toby nodded and laughed. "And it would also explain a few other things I heard him say when he stormed away."

"What else did he say?" I wondered.

"He called someone, most likely you, a spoiled brat that needed to be taken down a peg or two." He replied. "I'd watch my back if I were you."

"Thanks for the warning." I said still laughing.

"I can't wait to see what he'll do when he actually does start to get gray hair." Melissa commented.

"If it includes dyeing it or one of those gray touch up jobs, I'm not sure I want to see that." I shook my head.

"Same," Toby agreed.

"Yeah, but I don't think Cece would ever let him…oh no." Melissa started to say when Taylor ran by us chasing Jay. "Taylor Ianna Thomas, how many times have you been told not to run with food in your mouth, especially lollipops. Where did you get it anyway?"

"From Grandpa." Taylor answered sheepishly as Melissa led her away to talk to her.

"I never thought your dad would be the kind of grandparent that spoils kids. I had him pegged as the old, grumpy, and strict kind." Toby commented to me.

"Yeah well, I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Taylor is just as spoiled as Melissa was. And Jay causes just as much trouble as Jason." I told him.

"Anything from your childhood I should be warned about?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Why? Are you having second thoughts about starting a family with me now?" I asked him.

I was pretending to be serious, but really I was trying not to laugh.

"No, I can't wait to start our family." He told me with a smile and gave me a kiss. "But it would be nice to have an idea of what traits will be inherited."

"Well, you might have to worry about how stubborn and competitive I can be. But hopefully some of your traits will balance that out." I told him. "Toby?"

"Yes?"

"I…do you…" I struggled to ask.

"Spence, what is it?" He asked looking a little concerned.

"You know what it's nothing. And this probably isn't the best time. We can talk about this later." I shook my head before changing the subject. "Have you seen Mona or Mike? I haven't talked to them much lately and I wanted to ask Mona something."

"Um, yeah, I think I saw Mike walking around with Brooke a few minutes ago. And Mona is probably with Hanna in the ladies' room touching up her makeup." He told me, thankfully he understood to let things go for now.

I walked into the ladies' room and Toby was right. Hanna and Mona were right in front of the mirrors with lipstick and mascara in hand.

"Hey girls," I greeted as I joined them in front of the mirrors.

"Hey, Spence," Hanna smiled at me.

"Hey, congrats grad," Mona told me.

"Thank you." I replied and we shared a quick hug.

"Speaking of thanks, remind me to thank your parents, Spence, for inviting us to the club. I wish my bathroom at home had mirrors this big." Hanna said and all three of us laughed.

While we were busy laughing I glanced under a few stalls to see if anyone else was in here.

"Spencer, what the hell are you doing?" Hanna asked.

"Are we the only ones in here?" I asked.

"Yeah why?" Hanna wondered.

"Are you in need of a private girl talk?" Mona asked knowingly.

"Something like that." I nodded. "When Toby was in the hospital, he told me what Jenna told him on the roof. Marion Cavanaugh was pushed off by another Radley patient. Bethany Young, her half-sister."

"Are you serious?" Hanna whisper shouted and I nodded. "So the suicide was just a cover up? Who would do that?"

"Wilden." I stated and it was explanation enough. "Now, I'm bringing this up because I want to know what happened to Bethany."

"Just have your dad ask Mrs. D. She's on the board after all." Hanna suggested.

"I don't think so. She was also involved in the cover up. Plus I want to keep this quiet for now." I told them.

"We understand. I'll do some digging. And I also have a friend that's a nurse at Radley. I'll see if he knows anything off the record." Mona offered.

"Thanks, I'd appreciate that."

"Okay, not that it's really any of my business, but why do you want to know what happened to Bethany?" Hanna asked me.

"Toby only mentioned it that one time, and he didn't say much. But I know it bothers him a bit that someone got away with this because Mrs. Marshall was dating Wilden and Mrs. D was having an affair with Bethany's father." I explained. "And Jenna also told Toby that she was going back to where things started. I think that means something happened to Bethany and killing Mrs. Cavanaugh had something to do with it. I want to know what it was."

* * *

 **Hey I'm back! Sorry again about only one update last week. But I have some really good news I just finished writing Spoby's wedding! The big day is coming very soon and it's the longest chapter for this story!**

 **Shout-out to** prettylittlespoby13 **for suggesting seeing the video game night. I hope everybody enjoyed the guys losing especially Toby ;) Also who liked Spencer teasing Jason about gray hair? And what do you think happened to Bethany? Seriously I need ideas since Mona isn't the killer and there's no A.** **BTW that short flashback at the beginning was from the last chapter of "Back to Me".**


	28. Chapter 28

The following Friday I went out to run some errands. When I got back the house surprised to find both Hanna and Caleb gone.

"Hey, Spence," Toby greeted me and gave me a kiss.

"Hey, where are Hanna and Caleb?" I asked and gave him a kiss in return.

"Hanna went to pick up Caleb's suit from the dry-cleaners and to stop by her store. Caleb had to fill in for someone at work. And my dad was here but you just missed him by ten minutes." He replied.

"Oh really, what did you talk to him about?" I asked as I started to make us coffee.

"He wanted to make sure I was doing okay. He told me he talked to your mom about getting a divorce. And I told him the truth about what happened to my mom."

"How did he take it?"

"He wasn't happy. He couldn't believe this was kept from him and that he married his wife's murderer's mother. He had no idea she had another daughter and just thought she volunteered at Radley when he met her. I've only seen him that angry and upset once." He told me.

"Is your dad okay?"

"Yeah, he cooled off after a little bit. When he did he told me that he would definitely be ending his marriage after that news if he hadn't decided to already." He said. "You know, my dad and I were close before my mom died. But I gave up hoping a long time ago that we would be that close again. After today though, that doesn't seem so impossible."

"I'm glad. It's nice to have parents that are there for you and support you." I commented.

I thought back to my graduation last week. I was used to my dad being unsupportive and missing out on family events. But I wasn't a kid anymore that felt like I had to be perfect to get his attention and needed his approval. I was an adult now, I had my friends for support, and I had Toby. But it was still nice to have my dad there and show that he cared and was proud of me.

"Yeah, it is." He nodded. "Spence, there's something I wanted to ask you. But feel free to say no."

"What is it?"

"You know how we have an uneven number of bridesmaids and groomsmen? But we decided that was okay because it was our wedding and we whatever we wanted."

"And also Hanna said that was becoming a popular thing to do instead of a wedding no-no." I added.

"Well, I was thinking of maybe asking my dad to be another groomsman. I know earlier I was hesitant about him coming to the wedding. But that was before everything happened and we got to talk. I think it'd be a nice thing do and it would show that I want to fix things between us too. But only if you're okay with it though." He suggested.

"I think that's really thoughtful of you. And I'm okay with it if you're sure it's what you want to ask him." I told him.

"It is." He nodded.

"Alright then, we'll ask him." I stated. "And you're right. He would make an even wedding party. But who would we pair him up?"

"Well, Mona is maid of honor so she's with Caleb and that can't be changed." He said.

I had the hardest time choosing between the girls to be my maid of honor. I thought of Melissa but even though our relationship was better now, I just felt like it should be one of the girls. Originally it was gonna be Hanna, but she didn't know if she could do it while pregnant or with an infant. But I decided on Mona because we thought the same sometimes and since she joined our group she had grown closest to Hanna and me.

"We could pair him with Hanna. They seem to get along and she was gonna walk down by herself anyway since Caleb is my best man." He added.

"That makes sense; I'll see what she thinks of that when she gets back." I nodded in agreement. "Any other wedding plans you want to talk about?"

"Not right now. I just know that I can't wait." He told me and gave me a long kiss. "But since we're alone, there is something else we can talk about. You never did tell me what you wanted to last Saturday."

"It's just something I've been thinking about a lot lately. I didn't think a couple of more days mattered." I shrugged.

"What have you been thinking about?"

"Hanna said something last Monday and it got me thinking. And I started thinking about it again on Saturday when we were talking about things we would pass down to our kids." I told him then paused. "I love you, Toby, so much. We'll be married in just a few weeks and I'm ready to start our family. I want our newborn with a six-pack."

"Really?" He asked.

I nodded and he smiled.

"I love you." He said and gave me another long kiss. "So how soon do you want to have our newborn with six-pack that's just as stubborn and competitive as you are?"

"Look at the pot calling the kettle black!" I yelled and gave him a playful smack to the chest.

"I might be a little stubborn sometimes. But how can you of all people say that I'm competitive?" He pointed out.

"Um, did you and Caleb see yourselves last night? You guys were so determined to beat us as payback for last week. Hanna thought you almost broke the controller at one point." I told him.

"Okay, I can't argue with that." He gave in. "But we did beat you so it was worth it."

"Oh, I know you did. Everybody knows that you and Caleb won." I rolled my eyes.

"Back to what we were talking about. Do you wanna wait a few months until we're settled or have a honeymoon baby like Aria and Ezra?" He asked.

"I certainly wouldn't mind a honeymoon baby, or possibly one before then." I hinted suggestively then gave him a kiss. "But there's no guarantee that I'd get pregnant right away. What are you thinking about this? This is something we'll be doing together you know."

"I'd be happy to have a baby whenever it happens. But you're the one that will be carrying it for nine months. And I know you were hoping to get a job and start teaching this upcoming school year. Wouldn't a pregnancy so soon change all that?"

"It would, but it'd be a good change. So much of my life has revolved around school and studying. You know all the times I canceled dates or skipped parties to work on projects. But I don't want to be so wrapped up in my career that everything revolves around that and I don't have time for a family. I don't want to be like my parents."

"You won't be. I know you'll be an amazing mom." He assured me. "And if that's what you want, then I'm behind you all the way."

"It is." I nodded with a smile and we shared yet another kiss.

* * *

A few days later I went over to the loft. Toby was allowed off of his crutches the day before and he was helping his dad pack up. Mr. Cavanaugh had decided to move back to the area. He didn't want to live in Rosewood but he'd be living a few towns over. But first he had to go back, sell his house, and talk to his boss and get transferred to the Philly office.

"Toby?" I called as I came through the door.

"In Jason's room." He called back.

It had been years since Jason had lived here with Toby. And he only stayed for a couple of months. But for some reason we still called the guestroom 'Jason's room'.

"Hey, I'm missed you." I said and gave him a kiss. We had gone almost a whole day without seeing each other.

"I missed you too." He nodded. "Did you have fun shopping with Hanna and Mona?"

"Yeah, we had a good time. But Hanna started to not feel well so we ended things a little early." I replied. "Where's your dad?"

"He went to go talk to your mom again. He should be back in about an hour and he'll bring some food from the Grille with him. And he'll probably head out after dinner." He told me.

"Do you need any help with the packing?" I asked him.

"No, I just have this one last box to put in the living room. My dad didn't bring much with him." He replied.

Toby grabbed the box and left the room and I went into our bedroom. I immediately sat down in the rocker and sighed. It was nice to be home.

"You look happy." Toby commented when he came back.

"I am." I nodded. "It was fun to stay with Hanna and Caleb but I'm glad to be home. It's just you and me, peace and quiet, and privacy."

Both of us started laughing when I said privacy. Hanna and Caleb walked in on us more times than I care to count during the two weeks we stayed with them. Thankfully we never did anything more than heavy making out. I didn't want to risk making Toby's leg worse. But we also did our fair share of walking in on Hanna and Caleb who weren't holding back.

"Yeah, I won't be taking the opportunity to do this without the risk of getting caught for granted anytime soon." He said and gave me a heated kiss.

It wasn't long before we switched places to make things more comfortable. Toby sat down on the rocker and I was in his lap.

"Are you sure…your dad won't be back for another hour?" I asked in between kisses.

"Positive." He replied and lifted me up and walked to the bed.

"Toby, your leg…"

"Is fine." He interrupted. "You heard the doctor say so himself yesterday."

"I know but…"

"No buts, Spence. Don't worry, I won't overdo it. I'll be careful and we can go slow, just like the first time." He assured.

"Just do one thing for me."

"What's that?" He asked.

"Lock the door." I stated with a grin.

* * *

 _"Welcome home," I said as I walked into Toby's bedroom, making him jump._

 _I could tell by his wet hair that he had just taken a shower. He was putting on his belt and had yet to put a shirt on._

 _"Hey, how'd you know? I've hardly been home half an hour." He asked completely baffled._

 _He had been out of town on a job for a week and a half._

 _"Actually, I didn't. I came for coffee when I saw the truck." I admitted. "I missed you."_

 _"I know I missed you too." He told me and came and gave me a long needed kiss._

 _Things became heated in no time at all. My shirt rode up a little when I reached up to run my fingers through his messy, wet hair. Toby placed his hand on the little bit of exposed skin and pulled me closer to him so there was no space between us. But his belt, which he never finished buckling, was hanging down and in the way. I pulled it off and started to blush, I'd never done anything like that before._

 _We had talked about it a few times but I wanted to wait before going all the way. Usually one of us would pull away after a certain point, but today neither of were. Toby's shirt coming off while we were making out was a normal thing. But this was a new step and I wanted to take another. I was ready for more and I told him so._

 _"Are you sure?" He asked and pulled away a little._

 _"Yes," I replied quietly with a nod._

 _He looked me in the eyes to see if I really meant it then he nodded as well. He leaned in for another kiss and literally swept me off my feet. After gently placing me on his bed he started to unbutton my shirt. The rest of our clothes followed and it was just us._

 _What happened next wasn't what I thought it'd be. It wasn't perfect like you see in movies or read about it books. Nothing is. And we had the rest of our lives to get better at it. It wasn't like some of the stories I'd heard either from people I knew or some of the things you're taught in school. At first I was nervous about doing things right but it came natural. And being with Toby made things easier. Toby was the closest person to me but this was a whole new level of closeness and I understood why it was called making love._

* * *

 **Yay Spoby had their first time! Shout-out to** Kathryn2014 **for suggesting it because I wasn't sure about it at first. And they talked about having a baby! Who's excited about that!? You will be seeing a Spoby baby before this ends. Sadly that time is coming soon, most likely chapter 31 or 32 will be it :( But on a happier note, thank you so much everybody for giving this story 102 reviews. Review this chapter and you'll get an invite (sneak peek) to Spoby's wedding next chapter!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Spencer POV**

I woke up and rolled over, expecting to cuddle up next to Toby. But the other side of the bed was empty. I looked around and realized I was at the lake house and remembered why Toby wasn't here. Last night everyone had come to the lake house for the wedding rehearsal. Afterwards, Hanna, Melissa, and Mona kicked the guys out and they went to a hotel about twenty minutes away.

That meant today was my wedding day. I couldn't believe how fast the last two weeks had flown by. And I only had a few minutes to let it sink in before the girls came bursting.

"Happy wedding day, Soon-to-be Mrs. Cavanaugh." Hanna announced.

I had thought about someday being Mrs. Toby Cavanaugh. But today, in just a few hours, it would finally be a reality. But first the girls had to do my hair and makeup and they were determined to make me look perfect for the big day.

"Hair?" Mona asked about an hour later.

"Check," Hanna replied as she stuck the last bobby pin in. She had curled my hair and did a beautiful half up-half down style.

"Waterproof makeup?"

"Check," Aria replied. Aria's taste was bolder than mine, but she did an amazing job of doing natural makeup that highlighted everything just right.

"Jewelry?"

"Check," Emily stated as she finished clasping my necklace. I was wearing the Scrabble necklace that Toby had bought me years ago. It was my something old.

"Okay then, time to get changed. Your dress is in the closet and undergarments are in the white box on top of the dresser." Mona instructed.

Melissa grabbed the box and handed it to me. I took out the white lingerie that I had bought with the girls a couple months ago. That was a really crazy and fun shopping trip.

"You and Toby are gonna have the night of your lives." Hanna smirked as she pushed me in front of the mirror with one arm and held her baby that had just woken up in the other.

Hanna went into labor about two weeks early. We got together for Memorial Day and as the day went on Hanna kept saying she felt like she was having cramps and more back pain than usual. Both Aria and Melissa mentioned that she could be about to go into labor. And sure enough Hanna and Caleb welcomed Tyler Jamie Rivers into the world the next evening.

I stood there only wearing the fancy underwear. I was definitely a blushing bride. But I had to admit, I did look good and I hoped Toby thought so too.

"She's right, Spence, you look amazing." Aria agreed.

"You do, but you also can't go down the aisle looking like that. It's time for the dress." Mona reined everyone in, thankfully.

"I'll get it." Hanna volunteered and passed Tyler to Emily.

"Aww, he's such a cutie, Han." Emily cooed.

"Just wait until you see the outfit I have picked out for later." Hanna grinned as she handed the garment bag with the dress to Mona. "Sorry, Spence, but Tyler might outshine the groom."

I laughed along with the others. And a few minutes later the girls fastened the last of the many, many buttons on the dress.

"Thanks you guys, you're the best. I don't what I'd do if I had to do all those buttons by myself. I don't know what I'd do if I had to do any of this by myself." I told them.

I gave each of them a hug. Gently of course so I didn't wrinkle the dress or ruin my hair. They'd kill me if I ruined their hard work before the wedding.

"You're welcome, Spence, we wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world." Emily smiled.

"Yeah, and besides, that what friends are for." Aria shrugged.

"And sisters." Melissa added.

"Now, let's get you in front of that mirror." Hanna stated.

"Wait! Not yet!" Mona stopped us.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You have to have your veil on so you can get the full effect." She told me. "Melissa, where did you put the veil?"

"I thought you had it." Melissa replied.

"No, I thought you did." Mona stated.

"You know what; I actually do know where it is. Wanna get it with me?" Melissa said suddenly and she and Mona left the room.

But I knew it was just an excuse to get out of the room so they could sort out the problem without worrying me.

"I knew something would go wrong today." I sighed.

I never would have thought I'd be disappointed about a veil. But it meant a lot that my mom was letting me wear hers. I was looking forward to wearing it. And I couldn't believe I was saying this on my wedding day, but 'hope breeds eternal misery'. It was unrealistic to think that everything would be perfect and nothing would go wrong.

"Don't worry, Spence…" Emily started to comfort me but I didn't want to hear it.

"I'll just go without a veil." I decided trying to be practical instead of emotional.

"No, you will have a veil." Hanna stated. "You're right, nothing's perfect, even your wedding day. But there's a solution to every problem. Mona is a smart and she'll find a way to fix this."

As soon as Hanna finished speaking, our solution walked through the door.

"Sorry, I'm late. I'm convinced your father was purposely driving ten miles under the speed limit. I know there's deer around here, but being cautious doesn't mean you drive that slowly." My mom rambled as she walked into the bedroom.

"Mom, you have the…but how?" I asked completely speechless.

Right there in my mom's hand was the veil.

"You are a lifesaver, Mrs. Hastings." Mona sighed in relief as she and Melissa walked back in.

"You've been panicking that this wasn't here, haven't you?" She asked knowingly. "Oh, I'm so sorry. It was meant to be a surprise. But like I said, your father was trying to stop time."

"Typical." Hanna mumbled under her breathe and rolled her eyes.

"It's okay, as long as it's here." Mona stated, regaining her professional attitude.

"But how did you end up with it in the first place?" Melissa asked her.

"And what surprise?" I asked as well.

"Well, originally I thought the veil could be your something old. But you have your necklace for that. So I told Melissa I would take it to Mona for her, but instead I took it to a client of mine. She owns a sewing store and embroidered little blue flowers along the bottom edge. So now it can be your something blue and it'll make the veil a little more yours." She explained.

"Thank you, Mom." I said feeling speechless.

I gave her a hug and it was a good thing this makeup was waterproof. She placed the veil on top of my head and brought it over my face.

"Now, you're ready to look in the mirror." Mona smiled.

* * *

 **Toby POV**

"Toby, relax man, people get married all the time." Jason told me as I stood in front of the mirror tying my tie.

"That's easy for you to say, you're not married." I mumbled.

"No, but Ezra is." He shrugged. "Ezra, tell Toby how great being married is and how he's panicking for nothing."

"I'm not panicking." I stated and rolled my eyes. "I'm just a little nervous that's all. It's totally normal."

"Just a little? Dude, you've been trying to tie that tie for five minutes." Mike pointed out and laughed.

"If you think this is funny, just wait until it's your turn, Mike." I told him and he suddenly stopped laughing.

"Toby's right, it's completely normal to be nervous. But it's not like your life's ending, it's just beginning really and change is scary sometimes." Ezra commented.

"I'm not scared." I insisted. "And I can't wait to be married to Spencer."

"Then what's the problem?" Caleb asked.

"Spencer has been doing so much planning for today to be perfect. And don't girls start dreaming about their wedding before they can even walk? I just don't want to screw this up for her." I admitted.

"This is one of the reasons I eloped with Hanna. No plans to make, so nothing to worry about." Caleb commented.

"Toby, there's no such thing as a perfect wedding. But you won't screw this up. As long as you're where you're supposed to be when the ceremony starts, repeat after Pastor Ted, marry the woman you love, and smile for the pictures everything will be just fine." My dad assured me as he helped me with the tie. "That is if you're marrying the right one."

"I know that the Spencer is the one for me, Dad." I told him a little defensively.

"Sorry, that didn't come out right. I didn't mean to imply that she wasn't. I just meant that everything went off without a hitch when I married that Marshall woman, but she wasn't the one for me. Your mother was the only one for me, just like Spencer is the only one for you." He explained.

"What was it like when you married Mom?" I asked him curiously.

"I was just as nervous as you are." He stated and laughed a little. "But take it as a good sign. I wasn't nervous at all when I remarried, it was just another day. A hundred years ago it might have been an arranged marriage."

"Well, this is no arranged marriage. But there are certain arrangements that have been made, such as the wedding starting at one o'clock. So we should probably leave in ten minutes. That way we'll have plenty of time and we can get some pictures out of the way." Mike informed us.

"Whoa, when did you become Mr. Schedule Keeper?" Jason laughed and the rest of us joined him.

"That's what happens when you're engaged to Mona, who is also the maid of honor. And she threatened to kill me if I don't make sure we're there with plenty of time to spare." Mike sighed.

"Well, we wouldn't anything to happen to you would we?" Caleb teased. "You ready for this, Toby?"

"As I'll ever be." I said with as much confidence as I could.

* * *

An hour later the guys and I were at the lake house in front of the dock. Caleb was on my left, followed by my dad, Jason, Mike, and Ezra. There were two sections of white chairs, all filled with family and close friends, and they were separated by a white aisle runner. And in just a few more minutes Spencer would be walking down this very aisle and we'd be husband and wife.

In the mean time I tried to calm my nerves and listened to the music that was playing. Instead of a real piano we had a recording of my mom playing _Canon in D_ and it switched to _Kiss the Rain_ when Hanna and the rest of the bridesmaids started walking down. And it was pretty entertaining to see the look on Taylor's face when Jay, who was supposed to walk beside her as she threw the flowers, ran down the aisle straight to Jason.

But finally the music changed once again to the _Bridal Chorus_ and Spencer began walking down the aisle on her father's arm. I smiled when I saw her dress in all white and I felt tears forming in the corner of my eyes. I always thought Spencer was beautiful whether she was dressed up for a fancy date or wearing sweats around the house. But today there was something about her, a glow of happiness, and I'd never seen any so beautiful.

They reached the end of the aisle and Peter placed Spencer's hand in mine and the ceremony began.

"Do you, Tobias, take Spencer, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, for richer or for poorer, keeping yourself solely unto her for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." I stated and Spencer did as well moments later.

"And now for the vows." Pastor Ted stated after Aria sang. "Toby, repeat after me."

"I, Toby, take you, Spencer, to be my wife and these things I promise you: I will be faithful to you and honest with you; I will respect, trust, help and care for you; I will share my life with you; I will forgive you as we have been forgiven; and I will try with you better to understand ourselves, the world, and God; through the best and the worst of what is to come as long as we both shall live."

It was then Spencer's turn and she repeated the same vows that I had. I was glad we decided to go with traditional vows. There was no way I would've remembered anything I had written myself. Then Pastor Ted explained the symbolism of the rings and we placed them on each other's left ring finger.

"By the power invested in me by the state of Pennsylvania, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride." Pastor Ted happily announced.

Both Spencer and I smiled upon hearing this and I immediately removed the veil from her face and placed it behind her head. We shared a look with each other for just a moment and then I leaned in for our first kiss as a married couple.

"Ladies and gentleman, I give you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Tobias Cavanaugh." Pastor Ted introduced us before we ran down the aisle and into the lake house for a little privacy while the reception was setup.

* * *

 **They're finally married! I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I had such a good time writing it. And I had a lot of fun looking up different vows and I ended up going with Lutheran ones since I felt like the words fit Spoby. And I put in the part about Marion playing the piano to make it feel like she was there. You might see her in another flashback/dream in the last chapter. I'm working on it now and I'm having some writer's block. Probably because I'm not ready for this to end. Anyway, once again I hope you enjoyed this and I'd love to hear your thoughts :-)**


	30. Chapter 30

**Spencer POV**

It had been two and a half weeks since Toby and I had gotten married. And we were still in the honeymoon stage even though we had been back for a week now.

"Hey, Mrs. Cavanaugh." Hanna greeted me using my new name when I opened the door for her, Mona, and baby Tyler.

"Hey, Mrs. Rivers, and future, Mrs. Montgomery." I greeted them back and the three of us started laughing.

"Is Toby here?" Hanna asked as she took Tyler out of his car seat.

"No, he's still at work and he shouldn't be home for at least two hours." I told them as I finished the last few sips from my water bottle. "Did you bring it?"

"Yep, right here." Hanna smirked and handed me a plastic bag with the logo of the local drugstore.

"Thank you," I said both excited and nervous.

"Good luck, Spence." Mona smiled.

I went into the bathroom and took out the pregnancy test. I followed the instructions then went back to wait with Hanna and Mona.

"Okay, it's time." Mona announced.

"Here goes nothing." I mumbled.

I went into the bathroom and hesitantly looked at the pregnancy test. I stared at it for a several seconds completely stunned. Then I heard Hanna and Mona run up behind me. Had they never heard of patience?

"Well?" Hanna demanded.

"What does it say?" Mona asked anxiously.

Instead of answering I just showed them the test and both of them gasped.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Spence, but I should probably get going. Tyler is getting cranky so maybe I can get him to fall asleep in the car." Hanna sighed when she came back from throwing away a dirty diaper.

"It's okay, I understand. Thanks for coming over with the pregnancy test." I said and gave her a hug.

"Well actually, we were coming over anyway. But Mona can tell you all about that." Hanna shrugged. "See you girls later."

Mona and I walked her to her car then stopped in the brew for decaf ice coffees.

"So, what are you supposed to tell me?" I asked Mona when we were back in the loft.

"I found out something about Bethany." She stated. "After what happened to Mrs. Cavanaugh, Mrs. D had Bethany moved to an institution in Maryland. She went missing around this time back when Toby was in reform school."

"Was she found?" I asked even though I had a suspicious feeling she wasn't, not alive at least.

"Her body was and she was buried in Ravenswood, where she was born." She informed me.

"When exactly did she die?"

"The same day Jenna did. And before you ask, no, I haven't found out who killed her yet. But I do have a theory."

"Care to share?"

"For a police officer, he's not that bright. Wilden visited Bethany the day she went missing. But he signed in with his own name. If you're gonna do something like that you don't use your real name." She stated and rolled her eyes.

"Was he questioned during her murder investigation?"

"He was. And apparently he had a solid alibi. But it's not if you ask me."

"Can't wait to hear what it is." I said sarcastically.

"He had a ticket stub for a movie during the time of the murder. The theater was forty-five minutes away from the scene of the crime and several employees confirmed that he did go into the theater." She told me.

"That's bull; if people can sneak in without paying then they can certainly sneak out after it starts for an alibi." I stated.

"I know, but he wasn't questioned again after that. And eventually it became another cold case." She sighed.

"So Wilden killed Bethany. And it must have had something to do with Marion's death. Probably why Jenna said she was going back to the beginning. But if Jenna knew that Wilden killed Bethany, why try to kill Toby?" I thought out loud.

"Maybe she didn't blame Wilden for Bethany's death. Maybe she blamed Toby's mom for defending him and ruining Bethany's plan to escape. Killing Marion turned into a domino effect. Wilden and Mrs. D had to cover it up, she got sent to Maryland, and finally Wilden killed her."

"That's twisted." I sighed. "But we still don't know why he did it. I mean we do but we don't."

"This might help a little. I snuck into Wilden's apartment and found these, another reason why he's not smart. He should have destroyed these years ago. It looks like the two of them were pen pals for a little bit." She said and handed me a few letters.

It turns out Bethany was trying to pull a similar stunt on Wilden that she did with Mrs. Cavanaugh. She threatened to expose the fact that he lied and said it was a suicide if he didn't get her out of the institution she was in. Even though Wilden was a lousy cop, he wasn't about to lose his job. So he must have decided to shut up her up permanently.

"This definitely counts as motive. Maybe we could anonymously send these to the police and have them reopen Bethany's case. Wilden's already been fired since Toby exposed the cover up so he couldn't interfere. And it would keep us from getting mixed up in more police drama." I suggested.

"That probably is the best way. And if it's anonymous Wilden won't know it was us and we won't have to worry about him wanting revenge. We've had enough of that to last a life time." She agreed and I nodded.

"Thanks for telling me this, Mona. It's been on the back of my mind for a long time. It'll be nice for this to be put to rest and I know Toby will be glad that his mom's killer isn't on the loose." I said.

"No problem, it's what friends do." She shrugged. "Now I know Toby will be home soon so I'll get out of your hair. I'll give the tip to the police tonight and I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay and I'll let you know how things go with Toby later."

"In that case, you might want to make it a three-way call with Hanna." She suggested and we both had a good laugh.

* * *

 **Toby POV**

"Hey, Spence," I called out when I got home.

"Hey, you, how was your day?" She greeted me with a smile and a kiss.

"Good. Yours?" I replied. She seemed really happy about something.

"Hanna, Tyler, and Mona came over for a bit, so it was pretty great." She told me.

"That's nice. What's that smell?" I asked when I smelled something good from the kitchen.

"That would be dinner. I made lasagna." She stated.

"Wow, what's the occasion?" I asked in surprise.

"I'll tell you later. Right now I'm starving."

* * *

"Dinner was delicious, Spence." I told her as I helped clear the table.

"Thanks,"

"So now can I know what's so special?" I asked.

"Nope the meal's not over yet." She stated and shook her head. "You and I are gonna make brownies for dessert."

"Wow, we haven't done that in forever." I commented.

I was starting to wonder if she had good news or if she was trying to butter me up for bad news.

"Okay, now what?" I asked once all the ingredients were in the mixing bowl.

"Mix it." She replied and started to hand stir it.

"Why don't you just use the electric mixer?"

"Because it says not to since it might over mix it."

"But it'll be faster." I pointed out and gave a look that would hopefully convince her.

"You are such a kid." She laughed and shook her head.

She probably thought I was just in a rush to get the brownies. Which was partly true, but the sooner the brownies were finished, the sooner I could find out what the big deal was.

"Fine, but only on the lowest setting." She sighed and gave in.

She got the mixer out and got a text just as she plugged it in. She left the kitchen to go check it so I decided to get things started and turned on the mixer.

I wasn't the handiest person in the kitchen, I was much better at other around the house tasks. And anybody could tell you that, but I'd never be allowed in a kitchen again after this. I didn't check the settings and instead of low it was high. Everything was good for about two seconds then brownie batter started flying everywhere, including Spencer's shirt.

"Toby Cavanaugh!" She yelled.

"I am so sorry. It was an accident." I tried apologizing.

"You know what else is an accident? This." She stated and 'accidentally' knocked the bag of flour over and it got all over my pants and the bottom half of my shirt.

"No, that was deliberate." I pointed out and wiped off my shirt. "Just like this."

On the counter was a bowl that we had used to melt some butter in the microwave. There was barely anything in it. But there was enough to coat my hand in it before I smeared it across Spencer's face.

"Oh, now you've done it!" She yelled at me and shoved me away.

Spencer did not look happy and I was worried I might have taken it a step too far. But in my opinion she was the one that went too far with how she retaliated.

"You wouldn't." I said shaking my head.

"I would." She replied with an evil smirk as she tilted the bag of chocolate chips, ready to pour them all into the trash.

"Okay, okay, okay, I'm really sorry about the mixer accident. And for smearing the butter on your face. I'll clean up the mess in here and your shirt for you. And I promise I'll never use the mixer again. Just please don't trash a perfectly good bag of chocolate chips." I begged and put my hands up in surrender.

"Those are all good conditions, but I want to add one more." She told me.

"What's that?"

"Kiss me."

She didn't have to tell me twice. But I couldn't help wondering if she had some ulterior motive. She accepted my apology too easily. I cautiously walked over to and leaned in to kiss her. She placed her hand on my cheek and leaned in as well until our lips were only centimeters apart. I went to close the distant but at the last second Spencer turned her head and rubbed her melted butter covered cheek against mine.

"Ah, Spence, that's just wrong!" I cried as I wiped my cheek with my sleeve while Spencer just starting giggling.

"But you're forgiven now." She pointed out.

"I might be but you're not." I shot back.

"Oh you'll forgive me once you find out the big news." She smirked. "Now, go wash up while I change my shirt."

I wished my face then threw the last of the paper towels into the trash can. I knew Spencer would get annoyed if I didn't replace it so I dug around in the cabinet under the sink for a new roll. But paper towels weren't the only thing I found. I also found a positive pregnancy test.

"Spencer!" I called out.

"Yeah?" She asked as she appeared in the bathroom doorway.

"Is this yours?" I asked and showed her the pregnancy test.

"Oh no, you weren't supposed to see that y…" She said and tried to grab it.

I stepped back from her so she couldn't get it and also because I was hurt. I was hurt and a little angry that she hadn't told me and was obviously trying to hide it.

"Why not? Why would you keep this from me? I thought this was what you wanted?" I demanded.

"It was…is." She replied and looked on the verge of tears. I instantly regretted raising my voice. "I can't believe this. This is not how I wanted to tell you. This was the surprise, Toby, the big news that I had."

Now, I felt extremely guilty for reacting the way I had. It all made sense now and I should have realized it the second I saw the test. But instead I totally jumped to the wrong conclusions.

"And I just ruined everything." I sighed and smacked myself. "Spencer, I am so, so sorry."

"It's okay; I should've just come out and told you when you got home." She said quietly and wiped away a few tears.

"Spencer, this is not your fault." I stated and wrapped my arms around her. "And it doesn't matter now. I know you're pregnant and honestly I couldn't be happier about it."

"Really?" She asked, finally looking me in the eye, and I nodded.

"I love you, Spencer Cavanaugh." I told her and gave her a kiss, thankfully she didn't turn away.

"And I love you too, Baby Cavanaugh." I added and placed my hand on her still flat stomach.

* * *

 **Hey everyone I hope you enjoyed the chapter and the big news. Shout-out to** prettylittlespoby13 **for the Spoby food fight idea. And sorry for the little argument but they haven't had any fights in this story yet and it was bound to happen sometime. BTW what do you think of Wilden being Bethany's killer? Will he get away with it or will Rosewood PD do their job and arrest him? Leave a review and let me know what you're thinking.**


	31. Chapter 31

Toby and I had plenty to celebrate with our friends and family a week and a half later. We told everyone about the pregnancy and they assumed we had a honeymoon baby. But we were the only ones that knew it wasn't. Actually, we were pretty sure that it was conceived the day Toby's dad moved out of the loft. And they weren't happy we waited so long to tell them, except Mona and Hanna. But I wanted to make sure the pregnancy was confirmed by a doctor before we started sharing the good news.

"Spencer, Toby, get over here!" Hanna yelled for us.

"What now, Hanna?" I asked, deciding to humor her.

"Aria needs you two." She replied.

"Well, where is she then?" Toby asked as he looked around the Grille.

We wanted to tell everyone at once and figured that the easiest way to do that was to have a group dinner at the Grille.

"She went out to the car to get her camera. But I'm back now so it's picture time." Aria informed us as she appeared at our side.

Ever the artsy-one, Aria had a scrapbook going of all the big events in our lives. She had pictures of simple and sweet things like kisses and hugs and more major things like engagements, weddings, different stages of pregnancy, and newborn babies.

She had lots of pictures of Toby and I kissing or Toby hugging me from behind. She had pictures from the day we announced our engagement and had recently added our wedding pictures to the scrapbook. But now it was finally our turn to have a picture of me pregnant, even if I wasn't anywhere near showing yet.

"Okay, on three. One, two…" Aria started to say.

"Wait!" Hanna interrupted.

"Don't do that!" Aria yelled at her after she jumped two feet in the air.

"Sorry, but you can't take their picture like that. They need to be doing that pregnant couple pose or at least have their arms around each other. They can't just be standing there smiling." Hanna insisted and I rolled my eyes.

Since I was only six weeks pregnant it would look odd to have my hands over my belly with no bump. So Toby and I stood in our classic pose with his arms wrapped around me from behind. Thankfully this satisfied Hanna and Aria was able to take our picture.

"Aw, you guys really are the cutest." Emily commented when she came over and looked at the picture over Aria's shoulder.

"Yeah, that is a great pic." Mona agreed. "And speaking of pics I'm gonna cut out the one on the front page of tomorrow's paper. I think it'll go nicely on the back of my door if I ever need a dart board."

"Same," Hanna nodded with a laugh.

Another thing we had to celebrate was the arrest of Wilden. Mona sent the anonymous tip to the police and they actually did their job. Today was the day of his trial and he was found guilty. Not only would he be out of Rosewood, but out of Pennsylvania, since the crime was committed in a different state.

Usually when I was happy for a long period of time I started to secretly get concerned and wait for something bad to happen. But that wasn't the case this time. Jenna, Garrett, and Wilden were gone and wouldn't touch us again. Toby and his dad were back on good terms. And best of all Toby and I had been married for a month and we were expecting a baby.

At this point things could only get better, especially in eight months. It was sort of rare that I thought this way and I could only remember a few other times like this.

* * *

 _"Come in." I shouted when there was a knock on my door, expecting it to be my roommate._

 _It was the end of my freshmen year of college and today I was going home for the summer. And I couldn't wait! My roommate wasn't bad but living in a dorm just wasn't for me._

 _"Hey, Spence,"_

 _I spun around and it wasn't my roommate that was standing in my doorway. It was Toby._

 _"Hey, what are you doing here?" I asked as I immediately went into his waiting arms._

 _Even though the college was less than two hours away from Rosewood, we still didn't see each other as much as we wanted to between classes and work._

 _"I thought I'd save Jason the trip and surprise you." He replied and gave me a kiss._

 _"Well you certainly succeeded." I told him._

 _"These are for you." He said and handed me a bouquet of white and blue hydrangeas._

 _"Aw, Toby, you're so sweet. But you didn't have to do that. I'm just glad to have you here." I said as I gave him a kiss._

 _"I know, but I'm not just here to help you empty your dorm and bring you home. I also have a date planned for us."_

 _"You're nothing if not romantic today aren't you?" I teased him as I tried to find something for the flowers._

 _Most of my stuff was packed and I doubted I had a vase anyway. So I made do with what I had and filled one of my coffee mugs with water. It didn't look half bad and it would make carrying them around easy._

 _"So it looks like you're mostly packed." Toby commented as he looked around._

 _"Yep, I've been preparing for today almost as much I was for finals." I told him and he laughed._

 _About forty-five minutes later my things were in the back of the truck and we were off to a restaurant for early dinner._

 _"Spence, I know I said I came here to surprise you. But there's also something I want to talk to you about." Toby said after the waiter took our order._

 _"Okay, what's that?" I asked._

 _"Well, I'm not exactly sure how to say this." He admitted quietly._

 _"Toby Cavanaugh, you better not be about to break up with me!" I stated with a little anger._

 _"No, no, I promise that that's not what this is about. I've never even considered that." He assured me quickly. "It's about next semester."_

 _"Toby, this one just ended so next fall is the last thing I want to talk about." I told him, although this was better than a break up speech._

 _"I'm not talking about school." He shook his head. "I know you won't be living in the dorm and your parents said you could stay in your old room or in the barn. But I also know how independent you are and how you don't want to live with your parents if you can. And well I…I think I have a solution."_

 _"What's that?"_

 _"What would you say if I asked you to live in the loft…with me?" He asked hesitantly and I was a little stunned._

 _I'd thought about moving in with Toby one day but I wasn't sure if it'd ever happen._

 _"I'd ask if you're sure this is what you want. I might not be the easiest person to live with." I replied trying not to get my hope up too much._

 _"It is." Toby stated without a doubt._

 _"Then I'd say…yes." I told him and with both smiled._

 _"I love you so much." He said._

 _I could see how happy he was and so was I. The loft was already a second home and I couldn't wait to make it a permanent one. This day had gone from good to amazing and I felt like things could only get better._

* * *

 _"I love you, Spencer Cavanaugh." Toby whispered in my ear as we had our first dance._

 _"I love you too. And I love hearing you call me that." I told him._

 _"And I love saying it." He said and gave me a kiss for probably the hundredth time today._

 _"Spence?"_

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"You're happy, right?" He asked hesitantly. "Was today everything you thought it'd be?"_

 _"Of course am I. I couldn't be happier. And despite a few bumps in the road," I answered and thought of the missing veil, Aria's photographer friend misplacing his camera, and some of the tablecloths blowing off. "Today has been better than I ever thought it would be."_

 _"What about you?" I asked him as I pulled away from another kiss._

 _"I'm finally married to the love of my life. I wouldn't trade today for anything." He stated with a smile and we shared another kiss as the song came to an end._

 _Since Toby's mom wasn't here and I didn't have the closest relationship with my dad, we decided to make our own traditions. Since they were the best man and maid of honor, Caleb danced with Hanna and Mona danced with Mike._

 _After that the dancefloor was open. And several dances later we paused so I could throw the bouquet. Cece was the one that caught it and I think everyone saw the anxious look on Jason's face. He loved Cece and Little Jay, but my big brother would always be a bachelor._

 _"May, I have this dance?" Jason asked a few minutes later when the music started again._

 _"And have my feet trampled? No thanks, they're already in enough pain in these heels." I told him._

 _"Come on, I only stepped on your feet once while dancing." He rolled his eyes._

 _"Yeah well, once is enough. But it's a wedding and you have to be somewhat civil with family." I gave in._

 _I acted like it was a big deal, but I was just giving him a hard time. Honestly I really did want to dance with him on this special day._

 _"Shouldn't you be dancing with Cece?" I asked just to tease him._

 _"You just had to throw it to her didn't you?" He sighed and shook his head._

 _"Hey, it's not like I aimed it at her." I told him and it was my turn to roll my eyes. "Just don't go proposing to her today and steal my thunder."_

 _"Don't worry, I won't." He assured._

 _"You know, there was a time I thought I'd never get married either." I commented._

 _"When?"_

 _"Now and then when I was younger and my parents would fight." I shrugged. "But I never meant it until I was fifteen. They were having a really big fight and it wasn't long after my mom found out about you. And I saw that it wasn't just their marriage that was failing; it was your parents, the Marin's, the Montgomery's, and who knows how many others. I thought that a good, loving marriage just wasn't possible these days."_

 _"Well, you obviously changed your mind." He stated the obvious._

 _"Yeah, I did. All thanks to Toby. And it's the best change of my mind I've ever had." I smiled._

* * *

The next morning Toby and I were cooking breakfast together. Or at least we started to. It started as a quick 'good morning kiss' and then quickly escalated. Until my phone rang.

"Don't answer that, Spence." Toby said in between kisses.

"Don't worry, I won't." I laughed then went back to kissing him.

After a few more seconds the ringing stopped and we sighed in relief. But it was short lived as the phone began to ring again.

"I should probably get that. It might be important." I sighed and pulled away.

"Hello?" I answered the phone without even looking to see who it was.

 _'Spence, its Jason. I'm really sorry to be bothering you this early. But I need you to do me a huge favor.'_

"Sure, what is it?" I asked hearing the worry and panic in his tone.

 _'Can you watch Jay for me? Cece and I need to get over to the police station as quickly as possible. I'll explain everything later, I promise.'_

"Of course I'll watch him. I'll be there in ten minutes." I told him.

 _'Thanks, Spence, you're a lifesaver.'_

"It's no problem. Just make sure you come back from the station in one piece."

'Don't worry about me, Spencer. I'll see you in ten.'

* * *

 **Hey everyone! I have some good news. Originally my goal for this story was to finish it around 30-31 chapters and I was gonna end it here. Thanks to one last cliffhanger** **it's looking more like 32-33. Lol this story just doesn't want to end. The title has become very fitting.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed having two flashbacks. I know I had a lot of fun writing them. And what do you think is going on with Jason? Besides his special gift of knowing when to interrupt Spoby ;)**


	32. Chapter 32

A few days later, Spencer and I were once again attending a funeral. Unlike Alison's, this was a small affair with no more than twenty people in attendance. It was mostly our friends and they only came to support Jason. When he and Cece went to the police station it was to identify a body. And they both confirmed that it was Jessica DiLaurentis.

Instead of going to the church, Pastor Ted and Jason said a few quick words at the funeral home and then it was off to the cemetery. Some people cry from start to finish at funerals, some only because the person next to them is as well, others when they hear touching words about the deceased, but almost everybody sheds at least one tear at the graveside. But at this particular funeral, I think three-year-old Jay and newborn Tyler were the only ones.

"Glad that's over." Spencer mumbled as we started to walk away from the gravesite.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're not the only one that thinks that." I agreed.

"I do feel sorry for Jason though. He might not being showing it but I know this is hard for him." She sighed. "And I think poor Jay was breaking everybody's heart."

"Jessica had her faults, there's no denying that. But at the end of the day she was still a mother and grandmother. Now, whether she was good at being those things is highly debatable, but she was nonetheless. And moms and grandmothers are hard people to lose." I said, no longer thinking solely of Jessica.

"Hey," Spencer said and stopped walking. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, just thinking." I shrugged.

"Why don't you go visit her?" She suggested and nodded towards the mausoleum where my mom rested. "I can get in the limo with Jason, Cece, and Kenneth. You can come to the club whenever you're ready to."

"Spence, I can't ask you to do that." I shook my head knowing that ride would be awkward and miserable for her.

"You're not. It's my decision. And we both know Jason could use some looking after right now." She stated. "Now, go tell your mom the good news."

She gave me a quick kiss then hurried to catch up with the others. I stared after her for a few moments then turned around and slowly made my way to the mausoleum. I hadn't been here since I came with my dad a few weeks before the wedding. And this would be my third visit since finding out the truth about her death.

"Hi, Mom," I said breaking the silence in the empty room.

I noticed the flowers were wilted and dry and made a mental note to replace them.

"I have some good news for you, Mom. Spencer and I are finally married and everything's great so far. I know it won't always be that way. But I also know that you told me that, 'when you love someone you stick with them through the good and the bad'. And that's exactly what I plan to do with Spencer."

"And I wish you were here so I could tell you this in person. But I guess I just have to make do with imagining how excited and happy you'd be." I sighed feeling a little bittersweet. "Spencer's pregnant, Mom. She's about seven weeks pregnant and due in early March."

"Dad's really excited. In fact he already gave us some things that were mine. I knew you kept that stuff but I thought he'd gotten rid of it years ago. And don't worry, the baby blanket you knitted is still in good condition, it'll keep your grandbaby nice and warm."

I continued talking and told her a few other things both about the baby and other things that were happening. And I apologized once again for some of the things I'd thought when I thought she had chosen to leave me almost ten years ago. I knew that if she could, she would tell me to stop apologizing and that I didn't need to feel so guilty. She was a lot like Spencer in that way. They both had unconditional love and were willing to forgive and forget no matter what I'd done. And I knew Spencer would also be a great parent like my mom was. I hoped that could be half as good as them.

I left the mausoleum and got in the truck. There wasn't much traffic and I had the way to the club memorized. So I let my mind wander during the short, fifteen minute drive.

* * *

 _I opened the door to the loft and heard Spencer and my mom talking in the kitchen. I smiled at the sight of them together looking through bags of newly bought baby clothes._

 _"Toby, you're home." Spencer looked up and smiled._

 _"Yeah, and I picked up dinner too so you don't have to worry about cooking." I replied and set the food on the counter._

 _"Toby, just because I'm eight months pregnant doesn't mean I can't cook." Spencer rolled her eyes._

 _"There's plenty here if you want to stay, Mom." I said to her, ignoring Spencer's comment._

 _"I'd love to but I can't. Your father is returning from his business trip and I have a special something planned." My mom told us. "But speaking of a special something, I want to give the two of you something."_

 _She went over to her tote bag by the couch and pulled out a box._

 _"This was yours, Toby. I knit it myself and finished two days before I went into labor."_

 _I took the box from her and set it on the kitchen table so Spencer could also see what was in it. I removed the lid and inside was my baby blanket. It was white with yellow stripes and showed a little age, but my mom had taken care of it over the years so it was still in good shape._

 _"It's beautiful." Spencer said quietly as she took it out of the box._

 _"Why, thank you. You'll never have to worry about your baby being cold with this blanket." My mom smiled. "Well, I've got to be going. I know the baby isn't due for another month. But call if anything happens."_

 _"Don't worry, Mom, we will." I assured her then walked her to her car and hugged her goodbye._

* * *

I arrived at the club and since everyone was sitting and eating still it was easy to find Spencer. She was standing off to the side talking to Cece and they both looked worried.

"Hey, Spence," I greeted her and gave her a quick kiss.

"Hey, you didn't see Jason outside did you?" Spencer asked me.

"No, why?"

"When we were walking in, a friend of Kenneth's asked Jason how the investigation is going. And as you know, that's a touchy subject. Anyway, he said he was going to the restroom and that was twenty minutes ago." Cece explained.

Mrs. D's car had gone off the road around Lookout Point. Due to the tire tracks and other things, the police believed that her car skid and went over the cliff because she took the curve to fast. At first she was just a victim of a tragic car accident. But it turned out to be more than that.

They believed the accident was caused by someone with road rage. But after finding a note on the passenger seat reading 'An eye for eye –Mellie' it was no longer considered and accident and it became official that Jessica was murdered. The police had yet to catch the killer and that had everyone on edge. Would this town ever be free of death and murderers on the loose?

"You two go have a seat and finish eating. I'll look around for Jason. He's gotta be here somewhere." I told them.

I checked the men's room but I had a feeling that he wasn't there, and he wasn't. But it didn't take long to find him sitting at the bar.

"Who sent you? Cece or Spencer?" Jason asked not even bothering to look up.

"Both actually," I replied and sat next to him.

"What would it take to get you to tell them that I'm fine and leave out the part where you found me here?"

"Not a thing." I shook my head and he finally looked up to give me a confused look. "I've never cared for funeral lunches. I think you have the right idea coming here."

"Let's call it, embracing my Irish side." He said, trying to be funny but failing to laugh or even smile.

"Jason, you're everything but Irish." I pointed out and he just shrugged.

"Thanks for keeping me company. But I know what you're doing. Go back to Spencer and the others because I'm not going to talk about what's happening." He told me and took the last sip of his drink.

"I'm not here to keep you company, Jason. I'm here for a drink." I told him and ordered a drink from the bartender when he refilled Jason's.

"If I think Spencer's gonna give me a piece of her mind for drinking today, she's gonna make you sleep on the couch if she finds out you are too." He said and seemed a little surprised that I was serious.

"She won't mind as long as I don't get drunk. She knows that I know when to stop. You on the other hand have a habit of drinking until someone else makes you stop." I pointed out.

"So you're not trying to make me talk, you're babysitting." He accused.

"I'm not here to do anything other than have a drink. And you don't have to talk if you don't want to." I shrugged. "But know that I am probably the one person that does understand what you're going through. Other people will say they do, but they don't, not even Spencer or Cece. And I know how irritating it can be and how good it feels to get away and be alone. So when I finish my drink I'll leave you alone if that's what you really want."

"Ironic isn't it? You understand because your mom was killed too. And her death has to with my mother's." He commented.

"What do you mean?" I asked a little defensively.

"The note from the killer said an eye for an eye, and she died hours after Wilden was charged with Bethany's murder. If my mom hadn't covered up your mom's death, Bethany would have gone to prison or another sanitarium. And Wilden wouldn't have killed her because you can't blackmail somebody about a cover up that never happened."

"I see what you mean. My mom was killed for doing the right thing, and all the people involved got killed, or sent to prison, for the wrong that they did." I sighed. "I guess the question is, was your mom killed by someone that wanted revenge for Bethany's death? Or because someone blames her for Wilden getting sent to prison?"

"I wish I had that answer. But if it's up to Rosewood police, I might never know." He sighed and took another swig of his drink.

* * *

While Jessica wasn't greatly mourned, her death did hang over Rosewood like a heavy cloud. And it didn't help that police were useless as usual. But about two months later we were all reminded that good things could still happen in this gloomy town.

"Come on, Spencer, you can say it." I said and couldn't help but sound a little smug.

"You were right." Spencer sighed and shook her head but I could see the smile she was hiding.

"Spencer, don't even try to hide that smile." I told her as I unlocked the loft door. "We both know you're happy even if the results aren't what you thought they'd be."

"I am. I didn't really care either way, as long our baby is healthy. But can you blame me for wanting a little Toby Jr running around playing with wooden blocks, a toy pickup truck, and fake workbench and saw."

"No, I can't blame you, not when I want a girl for those same reasons. In a few years from now, I see our little girl having the neatest room of any kid around, reading books instead of watching cartoons, and beating everybody at Scrabble Jr."

"But a girl most likely won't have a six-pack." She pointed out.

"True, I guess that means our daughter will have to have a little brother in a few years." I suggested.

"Toby, I haven't even had this baby yet and you're already planning for another?" She asked in shock.

"Well, you want a newborn with a six-pack, so we're gonna keep trying until that's what we get." I shrugged.

"And what if we end up with six or more kids?" She questioned me.

"I'd love each and every one of them. And I'd love you even more than I already do for carrying them all for nine months, going through labor to bring them into the world, and for being a fantastic mother." I told her and leaned in for a kiss.

"You are amazing, Toby Cavanaugh. You have no idea how much I love you right now." She smiled in awe.

"Not as much as I love you, Mrs. Cavanaugh." I replied and we shared another kiss that eventually led us from the front door to the bedroom.

* * *

 **Hey everyone! So so sorry for the delay in updating. Time is flying by faster than I can write with everything that goes on this time of year. Plus this chapter took longer to write because now that this one's finished I have to work on the final one :(** **But anyway I hope you enjoyed seeing Toby's POV one last time as well as his little daydream of how things might be if his mom were alive. And yes they are expecting a girl who will make an appearance next chapter. So review and let me know if it was worth the wait. Hopefully the next/last update will be up sooner.**

 **And btw I want to give a special shout-out to** prettylittlespoby13 **. Thank you SO much for all the ideas and advice you've given for both this story and Back to Me. If it weren't you there probably wouldn't be any pink furry lamp jokes and Mrs D would still be alive ;)**


	33. Chapter 33

**Here it is, finally, the last chapter of NOY. Thank you everyone so so much for the reviews, follows, favorites, and support! I wouldn't have written it if it weren't for how much you enjoyed Back to Me. And I hope you've enjoyed this story just as much. So thanks again for everything! and without further ado, here's the finale chapter.**

* * *

Time is a funny thing. At first I felt like nine months would never pass. But before I knew it summer was over and I began teaching in Philly. And I felt a little bittersweet when Christmas break came and I went on maternity leave because I had really enjoyed it. But I did have fun with the girls over the holidays. Even if they still got me gifts after I told them not to.

They threw me a baby shower at Hanna's a week or so before so I didn't want anything. And thankfully my shower didn't have a nightmare ending like Hanna's. But the guys still insisted that they be there just in case. So while the girly things were happening in the living room, the guys were in Caleb's office playing computer games and drinking beer.

And just like that it was New Year's Eve once again. Looking back at all the things that happened this year was pretty mindboggling. It started off great as wedding plans were made and the lake house was saved.

But then the first of Jenna's messages arrived and so began that mess. There was also the scare about possibly losing my sight again, thankfully that's all it was. And Hanna's baby shower was both a highlight and a lowlight. But the baby's birth was a highlight without a doubt. And Tyler Jamie Rivers immediately found his way into everyone's hearts.

* * *

 _Yesterday Toby and I left first thing in the morning and went to Philly for the day. I was in a fitting room when I got a text saying Hanna was officially in labor. I wanted to be there for her, but I knew that I'd just end up sitting in the waiting room. And I had no desire to do that anytime soon after waiting hours to find out if Jason would be alright._

 _During dinner that night Mona called and told us Hanna and Caleb now had a healthy baby boy. On the way home we debated if we should visit them and see the baby. But it was called labor for a reason and Hanna no doubt was in need of rest. Plus she would have a lot of other visitors. So we decided to wait until morning so she and the baby weren't too overwhelmed and she could get some rest._

 _"How are you doing, Han?" Toby asked her._

 _"I'm tired, sore, and ready to get out of the hospital. But I'm alright health wise and I couldn't be happier right now. Holding Tyler for the first time last night made all the pain worth it." She replied with a smile._

 _Hanna smiled almost all the time but there was something different about this one. She had a smile that only a mother had when talking or thinking about her precious baby._

 _"We're really happy for you, Han, congratulations." I told her and gave her a gentle hug. "So where is the little bundle of joy?"_

 _"In the nursery, one of the nurses should be bringing him here any minute. And Caleb's off looking for decent coffee." She told us._

 _A few minutes later Caleb came back with a can of soda from the vending machine instead of coffee. And Hanna and I rolled our eyes when Toby congratulated Caleb and they gave each other a 'guy hug'. But nobody was rolling their eyes when a nurse walked in with Tyler and the proud parents immediately began showing off their newborn son._

 _"So, who wants to hold Tyler first?" Hanna asked._

 _"Spencer does. She's been wanting to since yesterday." Toby stated._

 _I playfully smacked his arm but gladly took little Tyler in my arms._

 _"He's adorable, Han." I told her and I was lucky enough to see him open his eyes for a few moments._

 _There was a fine layer of hair that you could hardly see and it looked like he'd be a blonde like Hanna. And he had definitely his daddy's eyes._

 _Speaking of eyes, I felt Toby's on me and I glanced over at him. And I knew exactly what he was thinking. If we hadn't already had a conversation about having a baby we certainly would be now. I looked back down at Tyler and I couldn't wait until I was holding my own baby and had that same motherly smile that Hanna did._

* * *

Despite everything involving Jenna and Garrett, it had been a mostly good year and it was hard to believe it was over. But it went out with a bang as we celebrated Mona and Mike's marriage. Ringing in the New Year at a wedding with all our friends was great but the adrenaline had worn off plus I was seven months pregnant so I was tired out. And it was around two in the morning when we went looking for the bride and groom to say our goodbyes.

"They're probably near the doorway saying goodbye." Hanna replied when we asked if she'd seen them. "Speaking of finding people, have you seen my husband around anywhere? He was at the bar with the guys earlier but my feet hurt too much to check." Hanna sighed and sounded a little annoyed with Caleb.

It was sort of funny because in years past Hanna would still be the life of the party at this point. But life changes and the once party girl was now a proud mother and had taken the role of designated driver for probably the first time in her life.

"Ugh, when did we become so old that staying up until two am feels like twenty-four hours without sleep?" Hanna asked after Toby went to find Caleb.

"I wish I knew." I sighed as well and we both laughed.

A few minutes later Toby came back with a slightly drunk Caleb and together we went to say our goodbyes to the new Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery.

"Thank you guys so much for coming!" Mona said a little loudly, she had a lot to drink around midnight. "It wouldn't have been the same without you."

"We wouldn't have missed it for the world." I told her and gave her a hug.

"Congratulations, you two, I hope you're as happy as the rest of us." Toby told them and shook Mike's hand.

"Dude, you sound like an old married man." Caleb laughed.

"And what's wrong with being an old married man?" Hanna questioned him with a glare.

"Absolutely nothing if you ask me." Mike stated, trying to save Caleb rear end.

"Good answer, babe." Mona smiled and kissed him, and the two became quite distracted.

"I really hate interrupting newlyweds, but I need to get out of here before Caleb sticks his foot in his drunk mouth again." Hanna sighed. "Hey lovebirds! I've gotta go. But you enjoy yourselves, you deserve it. And I'm so really over the moon happy for you guys. This was a beautiful wedding, if I do say so myself, and you are an amazing bride, Mona."

"Thanks, Han, I couldn't have done it without you. You really are the best-est best friend that I ever could have asked for." Mona told her, and you could tell she was sincere despite the tipsiness.

The two hugged and then we all shared one last goodbye before leaving the lovebirds to themselves.

* * *

A month and twenty-seven days later, I woke up earlier than usual, feeling like I'd hardly slept at all, because I was really uncomfortable. But with my due-date being days away, I was used to being uncomfortable. I couldn't wait for the baby to arrive and no longer be kicking me at all hours of the night.

I went about my day like any other. But by noon it was clear why I was extra uncomfortable. I was having contractions. I called Toby and he immediately came home from work. When the contractions got close enough we went to the hospital, and eighteen hours later, on the last day of February, our baby girl was finally born.

"Welcome home, Nikki." I said the next day as I took my daughter out of her carseat.

She woke up and started to cry, but Toby quickly got her to stop crying. Only a day old and she was already a daddy's girl. And the look on his face the first time he held her was priceless.

Together we walked into our bedroom and the first thing I saw was the crib, which Toby made of course. And above it was a wall decal that Aria got us. It had a border of butterflies and flowers and in the middle was our daughter's name, Veronica Marion, after her grandmothers.

I sat down in the rocking chair to nurse her while Toby left to call his dad. After Nikki was fed and burped I walked over to the crib and wrapped her up in the blanket Toby's mom made. I also reached in and grabbed a stuffed animal before going back to the rocker.

"Tired, baby girl?" I asked and laughed quietly when she yawned. "Want to hear a little story?"

I knew she couldn't really understand me. But there was a reason we named her after Marion and since Nikki would never get to meet her I wanted her to know all about her grandma.

"This blanket was made by your grandma. She made it for Daddy and now it's yours because that's what she would have wanted. Grandma Marion isn't alive anymore, but I know she would love you so much, Sweetie. She loved everybody and she was the nicest, sweetest lady you'd ever meet. And guess what, you were born in her favorite month of the year." I told her quietly as I slowly rocked us back and forth.

"And this pink teddy bear, used to be mine and it's also yours now. One day I fell from a tree and got really hurt. But your grandma was my nurse and she gave me this to make me feel better and also because I was a really brave little girl. So when you see this bear and play with it, you can know how good Grandma was at helping people, especially little girls. And being brave doesn't mean you're not scared, but that you're ready to face whatever you're scared of. And Grandma might not be here, but Daddy and I are and we'll always be here to help you face those fears when you're ready. And we'll never let anything or anybody hurt you, because we love you so much, Nikki."

I placed a soft kiss on her head and placed her in the crib. I stood there for a few minutes and just watched her sleep. She had Toby's blue eyes and it was hard to tell because she was still only a day old, but it looked like a lot of her facial features were mine and Toby would get the little mini-me that he wanted.

I heard the door quietly creak open and a few seconds later I felt Toby wrap his arms around me from behind.

"I just got off the phone with my dad. He apologized again for not being able to visit at the hospital. His trip went longer than expected. But he said he'd stop by for a visit tomorrow or the next day depending on what's better for us." Toby informed me and I nodded.

We stood there in comfortable silence for a few minutes and just admired our precious little daughter.

"Thank you," Toby whispered in my ear and buried his face in my hair.

"For what?" I asked as quietly as I could.

"For bringing Nikki into the world and carrying her for nine months. I know it wasn't easy."

"It wasn't, but it was completely worth it." I smiled and gave him a kiss.

"It's hard to believe that this time a week ago she was still inside you." He commented.

"It feels like a lifetime ago. Last week it was just you and I, but now we have Nikki. We're a family." I stated.

"I love that sound of that, us being a family." He said with a smile.

"I do too." I nodded and gave him a hug.

"I love you so much. I can't tell you how lucky I feel to have two amazing girls in my life to love. And I couldn't imagine having a family or being a parent with anyone but you."

"Me neither." I shook my head and we shared another kiss.

It was true; last week was a lifetime ago. It was a different life, and one that was over. We were no longer just a married couple, we were also parents. But this new life was just beginning and would never be over. And I can't express how lucky I felt to have Toby be the father of my baby girl. I knew there would never be a better person out there. And hopefully we'd have many children to raise and love together.

~The End~

* * *

 **Despite the title, this story is over :( But I had a great time writing and I hope you did reading it. Once again, I want to give a great big THANK YOU! to everyone. You're the best and I appreciate you all so much. Thanks for reading this story and maybe I'll see you with another story in the future. Have a great day and an awesome 2016! :D**


End file.
